Bayern go top after Mueller double
AFP
AFP, BERLIN: Germany star Thomas Mueller scored twice as Bayern Munich went back to the top of the Bundesliga table on Saturday with a 3-0 home win over Bayer Leverkusen. Pep Guardiolas Bayern impressed at Munichs Allianz Arena in sealing their third straight league win to claim top place from Wolfsburg, who beat Schalke 3-0 on Friday without Manchester City-bound Kevin de Bruyne.
Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said there is still room for improvement: Our last pass wasnt always good, thats why it was only 3-0, but we only allowed them two chances, which is crazy. Mueller, who has five goals from the first three league games, and Dutch winger Arjen Robben both converted second-half penalties for Bayern as fellow Champions League side Leverkusen were well beaten. The defending champions took the lead when Mueller met Douglas Costas cross on 26 minutes, then converted a penalty after Arturo Vidal was pushed in the back by Leverkusen defender Roberto Hilbert on 59 minutes.
Robben claimed his 11th penalty from 12 attempts in his Bundesliga career by drilling home a 71st-minute spot-kick as Hilbert was penalised after a Costa cross hit his armpit.
The 30-year-old ex-Germany defender was at fault for all three Bayern goals having also let Costa get away for the cross for Muellers first-half goal. Leverkusen had a goal disallowed when Australia winger Robbie Kruse looked to have scored on 72 minutes, but the referee spotted him bringing the ball down with his upper arm. Earlier, Colognes impressive start continued when they went third with a 2-1 comeback win at home to Hamburg after gleaning seven points from their opening three games. After ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lewis Holtby put Hamburg ahead early in the second half, Cologne levelled through Philipp Hosiner on
76 minutes, but the game turned on a dubious red card and penalty. Hamburgs ex-Bosnia captain Emir Spahic was sent off on 79 minutes for the slightest of touches on Cologne striker Anthony Modeste, who drilled home the resulting penalty to the fury of the visitors bench. Japan striker Yoshinori Muto warmed-up for his countrys World Cup qualifier against Cambodia in Saitama on Thursday with his first two Bundesliga goals in Mainzs 3-0 win over Hanover.
The 23-year-old opened his account on just his third Bundesliga appearance on 15 minutes, then doubled his tally on 29 minutes when he headed home from a corner. Centre-forward Yunus Malli claimed Mainzs third by finishing off a sweeping counter-attack just after the break as Mainz moved up to fifth. Socceroos forward Mathew Leckie also scored his first goal in Germanys top flight in Ingolstadts 1-0 win at Bavarian rivals Augsburg.
The 24-year-old left winger, who has won 25 caps for Australia, curled a superb shot inside the left-hand post, which gave Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz no chance on 63 minutes. Ten-man Stuttgart are bottom after a 4-1 defeat at home to Eintracht Frankfurt as Poland goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton was sent off for the hosts. Darmstadt are 11th after their third straight draw following a goalless effort at home to Hoffenheim.
