Bayern recovers to crush Hoffenheim 5-2, keeps 16-point lead

By AP
Published

BERLIN (AP) Sandro Wagner scored his first goal for Bayern Munich to wrap up a 5-2 win over his former team Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

League top-scorer Robert Lewandowski scored one and set up another as Bayern stayed on track for another title - a record-extending sixth straight - with a 16-point lead.

''Altogether I'm satisfied, though I'm a coach who prefers not to concede,'' said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who has led his side to 17 wins in 18 games across all competitions since returning for a fourth stint in charge in October.

Bayern was two goals down after 12 minutes with its own striker Serge Gnabry - on loan at Hoffenheim - involved in both goals.

Gnabry missed a penalty after he was brought down by Joshua Kimmich, but Mark Uth scored on the rebound. Gnabry added a second by shooting from distance after Jerome Boateng tried to clear.

Lewandowski pulled one back with his 18th goal of the season.

Five minutes later Boateng made up for his earlier mistake by equalizing.

Kingsley Coman completed the turnaround midway through the second half, firing inside the far corner after Lewandowski played him in with a perfect chip.

Arturo Vital headed Bayern's fourth minutes later, and Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes sent on Wagner to grab the fifth in the final minutes.

Wagner joined Bayern from Hoffenheim in December for a reported 12 million euros ($14 million) plus bonus payments.

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AUBAMEYANG WHISTLED

Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was subjected to whistles from his own team's fans as Freiburg held them to 2-2.

Aubameyang returned to the starting lineup after being left out of the squad for the last two games. Many supporters are unhappy with what they perceive as a lack of professionalism as he pushes for a move to Arsenal.

''No player is bigger than our club,'' read one banner held up by fans.

Aubameyang was barely involved in the game.

''He's had better days,'' Dortmund coach Peter Stoeger said. ''He was in the team because of his qualities. We know what he can do. He just didn't show it today.''

Shinji Kagawa volleyed the home side into an early lead, but Nils Petersen equalized.

Petersen then fired the visitors ahead midway through the second half when he pounced on a mistake from Nuri Sahin and chipped Roman Buerki brilliantly from 40 yards.

Jeremy Toljan saved Stoeger from his first defeat as Dortmund coach when he equalized late.

Freiburg stretched its unbeaten run to eight games.

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SCHALKE ON THE UP

Naldo scored on his 337th Bundesliga appearance - a record for a Brazilian player in the league - to help Schalke reclaim second place with a 2-0 win at Stuttgart.

Hamburger SV drew at Leipzig 1-1 in Bernd Hollerbach's first game as coach, and Augsburg came from behind to draw in Cologne 1-1, ending the bottom side's three-game winning run.

Visiting Hertha Berlin held Werder Bremen to 0-0 in the late game.