Lewandowski scores 4 as Bayern routs Red Star to win group
BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Robert Lewandowski scored four goals in a 15-minute span as Bayern Munich routed Red Star Belgrade 6-0 to win its Champions League group on Tuesday.
The Poland striker struck all four in the second half as Bayern, which had already advanced to the knockout stage, made it five wins from five in Group B.
Lewandowski is only the second player to score four goals in a Champions League match on two occasions after Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. Lewandowski scored four against Real Madrid while playing for Borussia Dortmund in 2013.
“I have to confess....I am addicted to scoring goals,” Lewandowski wrote on Twitter.
The away victory continued interim coach Hansi Flick’s perfect start since taking over from the fired Niko Kovac. Flick’s team has scored 16 goals across four games and conceded none, ensuring the former Germany assistant coach has made the best start by any Bayern coach.
Tottenham beat Olympiakos 4-2 in the other group game to join Bayern in the round of 16.
Leon Goretzka opened the scoring in Belgrade in the 14th minute with a perfectly placed header inside the top left corner from Philippe Coutinho’s cross.
Lewandowski had the visitors celebrating again with a strike inside the far corner in the 41st, but the goal was ruled out through VAR as the ball came off Corentin Tolisso’s arm as he played it back.
Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies shot just over before the break. The visitors were in complete control with 15 efforts at goal, compared to none for the home side.
But Bayern needed a bit of luck for the second goal in the 53rd, when Lewandowski got off the mark from the penalty spot. Miloš Degenek was sliding in and could do little to avoid blocking Lewandowski’s cross with his arm.
Lewandowski grabbed his second goal from close range in the 60th after Tolisso headed the ball on, and completed his hat trick with a header to Benjamin Pavard’s cross.
Lewandowski played a one-two with Ivan Perišić before nicking his fourth in the 68th, taking his tally in the tournament to 10 and his total for the season so far to 27. He had scored in each of the first 11 Bundesliga games, a league record, until his streak ended at the weekend.
Tolisso completed the scoring late.
