Dominant Reds breeze past Köln

FC Bayern downed FC Köln 4-0 on Saturday afternoon, consolidating their lead in the table. Robert Lewandowski and Corentin Tolisso handed Bayern a two-goal lead in the first half, with the former netting two more times after half-time to bag a hat-trick. His goals mean an impressive milestone for Lewandowski, who now boasts a whopping 300 Bundesliga goals. The German record champions set a new Bundesliga record, finding the net in 66 matches in a row, the longest-ever scoring run.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Joshua Kimmich, Benjamin Pavard, Niklas Süle and Marcel Sabitzer in a back four. Marc Roca and Tolisso featured in a twin holding role behind Serge Gnabry, Thomas Müller and Jamal Musiala, with Lewandowski up front. Leroy Sané, Omar Richards, Tanguy Nianzou, Paul Wanner and Malik Tillman took over from Musiala, Sabitzer, Tolisso, Roca and Müller in the second half.

Lewy and Tolisso on target

The two sides felt each other out at first, but after eight minutes Bayern won the ball in their own half and poured forward, with Müller squaring to Lewandowski, who made no mistake from ten yards. Neuer denied Modeste before Bayern twisted the knife, Tolisso's sumptuous drive from 20 yards finding the net following a one-two with Müller.

Müller was denied from point-blank range before the home side had the ball in the net, Uth beating Neuer, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Lewandowski saw an effort saved before Duda fired wide at the other end, and the sides turned round with Bayern two goals to the good.

Lewy the hero

Keeper Marvin Schwäbe saved against Lewandowski and Musiala rattled the outside of the post, but Sané soon invited Lewandowski to fire past Schwäbe. The Billy Goats went looking for a reply, and Neuer soon did well to deny Ljubicic, with Modeste heading over and Hüber's header finding the crossbar, but Lewandowski rounded off his hat-trick following a Sané pass, scoring his 300th Bundesliga goal.

Köln continued to push forward but created little of attacking note, with Thielmann drawing a save from Neuer before firing over, and match official Tobias Welz blew for full-time.

The result takes Bayern onto 46 points from 19 matches, six ahead of Dortmund. Bayern will be back in action next Sunday, when they entertain Hertha Berlin.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen