MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich is back on top of the Bundesliga, for a day at least, after sweeping aside Mainz 6-2 with six different scorers to continue a run of big wins.
Sadio Mané bagged one goal and set up two more as Bayern cruised to its sixth straight win in all competitions, with an impressive 25 goals scored in those games.
Bayern needed just five minutes to take the lead as Mané set up Serge Gnabry for the opening goal. Jamal Musiala added a second and Mané earned, then scored, a penalty just before the break.
Mainz had chances to get back into the game, with Jonathan Burkardt hitting the crossbar and seeing his poorly hit penalty tipped over the bar. Silvan Widmer headed in from the resulting corner to make it 3-1, but Mainz's comeback stopped there.
A precise cross from Mané allowed Leon Goretzka to head in for Bayern in the 58th and 17-year-old French striker Mathys Tel added Bayern's fifth off the bench with a deflected shot in the 80th.
Backup goalkeeper Sven Ulreich — deputizing while Manuel Neuer's recovery from a shoulder injury drags on — gave away the ball under little pressure soon after, allowing Marcus Ingvartsen to score a consolation goal for Mainz.
The four-goal lead was restored when Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, the veteran forward who has given Bayern much-needed structure in attack recently, scored in the 86th for his sixth goal in five games, after earlier assisting on Musiala's goal.
Bayern went to the top by two points from surprise early season leader Union Berlin, which can retake first place if it beats Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday.
Bayern's focus switches to Inter Milan on Tuesday as the German champion aims to complete a perfect record of six wins from six in the Champions League group stage.
LEIPZIG FORTRESS
Leipzig stayed a tough team to beat at home after a 2-0 result over struggling Bayer Leverkusen.
Leipzig has won seven successive home games under coach Marco Rose since he was appointed in September following a crushing 4-1 loss at home to Shakhtar Donetsk under his predecessor Domenico Tedesco.
Christopher Nkunku's header and Timo Werner's goal on a counterattack gave Leipzig the win. Injuries meant Leipzig started with third-choice goalkeeper Orjan Nyland but he had little to do against a Leverkusen team which dropped to 16th and has one win in six games under new coach Xabi Alonso.
FELIX NMECHA'S MOMENT
Felix Nmecha has spent most of his career in the shadow of his older brother and teammate Lukas, first at Manchester City and then at Wolfsburg, but he was the star as Wolfsburg beat relegation-threatened Bochum 4-0.
Felix Nmecha scored his first career Bundesliga goal with a header in the 27th minute then notched a second in similar style in the second half.
Ridle Baku and Jonas Wind had the other goals for Wolfsburg, which is unbeaten in six league and cup games.
Bochum failed to build on its upset of Union Berlin last week.
Waldemar Anton scored in stoppage time from a backheeled pass by Tiago Tomas for Stuttgart to beat Augsburg 2-1.
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