Bayern back on top of Bundesliga after putting four past Fortuna
Bayern Munich moved to the top of the Bundesliga table as they thrashed Fortuna Dusseldorf 4-1 with Kingsley Coman scoring twice.
Bayern went a point above title rivals Borussia Dortmund as Serge Gnabry and Leon Goretzka also got on the scoresheet.
The home side fought hard in a one-sided contest and were finally rewarded for their efforts when substitute Dodi Lukebakio scored a penalty.
By that time Bayern were three goals to the good thanks to Coman’s double and a Gnabry strike and still had time add a fourth from Goretzka before the final whistle.
Defeat leaves Fortuna 10th in the Bundesliga table and 10 points off the top six.
The home side survived an early scare when defender Andre Hoffmann guided the ball on to his own post.
But Fortuna could do nothing when Bayern claimed the lead after 15 minutes through Coman.
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The forward and Thomas Muller both tried to get the final touch with Coman credited with opening the scoring.
Fortuna were looking to give as good as they got in what was a keenly-fought start to the contest.
Their best chance of the first half-hour fell to Dawid Kownacki but he was unable to convert the opportunity.
Four minutes before the break Coman made it 2-0 to the visitors, taking his tally to eight goals in all competitions this season for his best-ever campaign.
The France winger applied the finishing touch to a move also involving Gnabry and Joshua Kimmich as Bayern began to show their class.
The visitors were comfortable leaders at half-time thanks to Coman’s double following an opening 45 minutes when Fortuna rarely troubled Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal.
But Bayern had to make a change early in the second half when Neuer picked up an injury and Sven Ulreich replaced him in goal eight minutes after the interval.
Gnabry extended Bayern’s lead two minutes later when he made it 3-0 to the visitors following good work by Kimmich on the right wing.
Gnabry had another influential match for Bayern as he made it four goals and three assists in his last five outings and with 11 minutes to go he was withdrawn in favour of James Rodriguez.
The home side were unable to break down the Bayern defence and used all three substitutes late on in a bid to create an opening.
One of those changes did have a positive effect for the home side when Lukebakio got their first goal.
With two minutes to go Fortuna won a penalty, which the replacement converted to make it 3-1.
However, less than a minute later, Bayern were three goals back in front as Goretzka made it 4-1 to the visitors.
The win helped Bayern go top of the league but defeat meant any hopes the home side of qualifying for Europe next season are fading.
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