BERLIN — Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus led their teams to important Bundesliga wins on Sunday.
A fired-up Lewandowski scored twice as Bayern came from behind to beat last-place Greuther Furth 4-1, and Reus scored two and set up three more in Dortmund’s 6-0 rout of Borussia M?nchengladbach.
Lewandowski took his league-leading tally to 28 goals in 23 games and helped Bayern stay six points ahead of second-place Dortmund.
If Bayern fans had been expecting a reaction after two games without a win — Bayern lost 4-2 at promoted Bochum before drawing 1-1 in Salzburg in the Champions League — they had to wait till the second half to get it.
Furth captain Branimir Hrgota fired the competitive underdogs ahead in the 42nd minute with a deflected free kick.
Riled by the setback, Lewandowski was booked for his reaction to Hrgota after the Poland star fouled the forward to stop a counterattack.
There were even whistles from some unhappy Bayern supporters at the break.
Lewandowski equalized a minute into the second half and Bayern forced an own-goal from Sebastian Griesbeck in the 61st. Griesbeck also scored an own-goal in the sides’ previous meeting, which Bayern won 3-1.
Max Christiansen struck the post as Furth pushed for an equalizer, but Lewandowski sealed Bayern’s win with a header inside the left post in the 82nd. Halftime substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting grabbed the fourth goal in injury time.
DORTMUND PUTS ON A DISPLAY
Dortmund was under pressure to respond after a lackluster defeat to Rangers in the Europa League and a 5-2 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen still fresh in the memory.
Clinical finishing proved the difference as Reus led his team to a rout.
The Dortmund captain opened the scoring in the 26th, played a brilliant ball for Donyell Malen to make it 2-0 in the 32nd, then set up Marius Wolf for the third goal in the 70th and Youssoufa Moukoko for the fourth in the 74th. Reus capped an outstanding display with his second goal in the 81st. Emre Can completed the rout with a penalty in injury time.
Injuries provided the only concern for Dortmund.
Gio Reyna went off 30 minutes into his first start since Aug. 27. The American midfielder left the field in tears after what looked potentially like a recurrence of the right hamstring injury he suffered in the United States’ World Cup qualifier on Sept. 2.
Dan-Axel Zagadou went off in the 42nd after clutching the back of his right leg, and there was a brief delay before play could resume as Jude Bellingham lay on the field.
Reus also needed treatment after feeling the force of his goalkeeper Gregor Kobel’s arm to the side of his head during a clearance.
HERTHA IN TROUBLE
Leipzig reclaimed fourth place and the last spot for Champions League qualification with a 6-1 rout at coronavirus-hit Hertha Berlin, which remains in relegation trouble.
Hertha competed well in the first hour despite missing eight players infected by COVID-19, deservedly equalizing through Stevan Jovetic in the 48th minute after Benjamin Henrichs had put the visitors ahead in the 20th.
But Marc Oliver Kempf’s sending off in the 62nd ended Hertha’s hopes. The defender was shown a red card for hauling down Christopher Nkunku, who was through on goal. Nkunku scored from the penalty spot and added another goal three minutes later before Dani Olmo got Leipzig’s fourth in the 74th.
American midfielder Tyler Adams was introduced in the 80th for his first Bundesliga appearance since Jan. 23 after recovering from a right hamstring injury. He set up Amadou Haidara two minutes later, before Yussuf Poulsen completed the scoring late.
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