Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to six points with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Augsburg.
Arturo Vidal scored the opening goal on the half-hour before Lewandowski returned to torment his side’s Bavarian neighbours with a brace either side of half-time.
Lewandowski’s goals mean he has now scored 18 times in 13 games against Augsburg, as well as maintaining his spectacular form this season with 22 goals in as many outings in all competitions.
Mindful of last season’s thumping 6-0 defeat in the equivalent fixture, Augsburg started with a strong defence and frustrated the leaders for the first portion of the match. But a momentary lapse in concentration, which allowed Vidal to fire home after the visitors failed to clear a corner, set up an almost inevitable victory for the in-form hosts.
Vidal played a significant part in Bayern’s second which arrived after 38 minutes when the Chilean threaded a through-ball to Lewandowski, who needed no second invitation to fire past Augsburg goalkeeper Marwin Hitz.
Augsburg did well to restrain Bayern to just two goals before the break but it did not take long after the re-start for Jupp Heynckes’ men to make virtually certain of a fifth straight league victory.
Joshua Kimmich sent in a cross which Lewandowski met with a superb volley past the helpless Hitz, sparking fears for the visitors of another rout to rival last season’s reverse.
Vidal came close to grabbing a fourth almost immediately when he headed against the crossbar, as Augsburg, who came into the game boasting just one win from their previous seven Bundesliga games, struggled to hold firm.
More steadfast defending ultimately spared Augsburg from further embarrassment, although both Arjen Robben and Kimmich both came close to extending Bayern’s lead in the closing stages.
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