Bayern crush Wolfsburg 6-0 to take over Bundesliga lead

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski celebrates after he scored his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and FC Bayern Munich in Moenchengladbach, Germany, Saturday, March 2, 2019. [Courtesy]

Champions Bayern Munich crushed VfL Wolfsburg 6-0 on Saturday with two goals from top scorer Robert Lewandowski, to move ahead of Borussia Dortmund and lead the Bundesliga on goal difference.

Four days before they host Liverpool in their Champions League last 16 second leg, the Bavarians were brutally efficient, scoring twice in three minutes through Serge Gnabry and Lewandowski late in the first half to take control.

James Rodriguez fired in their third in the 52nd and Thomas Mueller, dropped along with Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng from the national team this week, added their fourth. Goals from Joshua Kimmich and Lewandowski completed their rout.

Bayern are on 57 points, ahead on goal difference from Dortmund, who won 3-1 against strugglers VfB Stuttgart.

It was also the 12th consecutive defeat for Wolfsburg coach Bruno Labbadia against Bayern, more than any other coach against a single opponent. 

Elsewhere, late goals from Paco Alcacer and Christian Pulisic gave Borussia Dortmund a nervy 3-1 victory over struggling VfB Stuttgart on Saturday but they handed over the lead to champions Bayern Munich, who went ahead on goal difference.

Dortmund, eliminated in the Champions League round of 16 by Tottenham Hotspur in midweek, never hit top form and needed a Marco Reus penalty in the second half to take the lead.

Borussia Dortmund's Christian Pulisic celebrates scoring their third goal with Marco Reus and team mates. [Reuters]

But Stuttgart levelled with Marc-Oliver Kempf in the 71st before Alcacer notched his 14th goal of the season.

Substitute Pulisic settled the Dortmund nerves in the 90th to lift his team to 57 points, level with Bayern, who went top after their 6-0 demolition of VfL Wolfsburg.