On-fire Reds breeze past Bochum

FC Bayern beat VfL Bochum 7-0 on Saturday, claiming top spot in the Bundesliga table for the first time this season. Leroy Sané, Joshua Kimmich and Serge Gnabry handed Bayern a comfortable three-goal lead before Bochum's Vasilios Lampropoulos put through his own goal in the first half. Robert Lewandowski added a fifth and Kimmich soon rounded off his brace, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting sealing the final scoreline with ten minutes to go.

The Bavarians, who played in a special Oktoberfest kit, started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Josip Stanišić, Niklas Süle, Lucas Hernández and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka featured in a twin holding role behind Gnabry, Müller and Sané, with Lewandowski as sole striker. Omar Richards came on for Davies at half-time, Bouna Sarr, Marcel Sabitzer, Choupo-Moting and Tanguy Nianzou taking over from Stanišić, Sané, Lewandowski and Kimmich in the second half.

Goals galore

Bayern almost took the lead in the first minute, but Bella-Kotchap made a last-ditch tackle against Lewandowski. Both sides had warning shots in the first ten minutes, and Bochum by no means parked the bus, but Bayern soon asserted their authority. Sané opened the scoring when Bayern were awarded a free-kick, the Germany international curling through the wall and into the top corner of the net. Gnabry saw a shot cleared but Bayern doubled the advantage when Sané's low cross found Kimmich, who spun and beat keeper Manuel Riemann.

Sané fired wide, but the scoreline reflected the gulf in class when Müller set up the charging Gnabry, who found the far corner of the net. Müller headed wide, but a fourth goal came when Lampropoulos tried to clear the ball but put through his own goal.

Plain sailing

Munich shifted down a gear after the restart but were always dominant. Sané tested Riemann before Gnabry aimed for the far corner, Lewandowski tapping in from point-blank range. The Pole has now scored in 13 Bundesliga home matches in a row, a new record. Ganvoula found the net at the other end but the linesman's flag was up for offside. The home side soon rounded off the half-dozen, Goretzka's header inviting Kimmich to slot home.

Bochum went looking for a consolation goal but Ganvoula headed over and fired wide three minutes later. The final flourish came when Riemann saved an effort by Müller and two by Choupo-Moting, but the sub's third attempt got over the line. Riemann parried a Kimmich shot, Müller tapping home, but the goal was disallowed for offside after VAR intervention, and match official Tobias Welz put Bochum out of their misery.

The result takes FCB to the top of the table overnight. Bayern will be back in action next Friday, when they travel to face Greuther Fürth.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen