Robert Lewandowski scored a hat-trick as Bayern Munich cruised to a 6-0 home win over Werder Bremen in their opening Bundesliga match of the season.
MUNICH, GERMANY – AUGUST 26: The team of Bayern Muenchen celebrates after the Bundesliga match between Bayern Muenchen and Werder Bremen at Allianz Arena on August 26, 2016 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Lennart Preiss/Bongarts/Getty Images)
It took the defending champions only eight minutes to open the scoring, with Xabi Alonso thumping in a volley from just outside the penalty area after a cross was half-cleared.
Bremen’s weak resistance was broken again four minutes later when Franck Ribery slipped Lewandowski through on goal and the striker finished superbly from a tight angle.
The dominance continued after the interval when Lewandowski stretched to tap in a Thomas Muller cross, before Philipp Lahm drove in the fourth via the post after more precise passing.
Ribery added a fifth by finishing well from Muller’s pass and Lewandowski completed his treble with a late penalty as Bayern won their first league match of the campaign for the fifth year in a row.
Mats Hummels made his second league appearance for Bayern – the first was in May 2007 before his decorated spell with rivals Borussia Dortmund – while Carlo Ancelotti became the first manager to take charge of teams in Europe’s top five leagues.