Bayern Munich’s Thomas Mueller (R) celebrates scoring the 4-0 goal with his teammates during the Bundesliga match against Hamburger SV at the Allianz Arena in Munich. (AFP)

Reuters/Munich

Champions Bayern Munich crushed Hamburg SV 5-0 in the Bundesliga’s season opener on Friday after a scintillating performance that set an early marker in their hunt for an unprecedented fourth straight title.
German international Thomas Mueller scored twice in four minutes midway through the second half. Mehdi Benatia and Robert Lewandowski netted too while newcomer Douglas Costa, who also set up a goal, grabbed the fifth in the 87th minute.
Bayern, odds-on favourites to retain their league crown, were never threatened by the visitors who needed a relegation playoff to stay up last season and started the new campaign with a shock German Cup first-round defeat by fourth tier Carl Zeiss Jena last week.
“In the first half we had trouble with Hamburg defending with many players, six at the back, but we attacked much better in the second,” Bayern coach Pep Guardiola told reporters. Despite having Mario Goetze on the bench amid widespread media speculation about his future at the club, winger Franck Ribery still injured and Bastian Schweinsteiger having left for Manchester United, the Bavarians turned on the style.
Brazilian Costa terrorised the Hamburg defence down the left wing with his speed while Chile international Arturo Vidal, who joined from Juventus in the close season, coolly orchestrated the attacks from midfield.
Hamburg, who had conceded a staggering 31 goals in their five previous visits to the Allianz Arena, were forced to defend from the start. Poland striker Lewandowski twice went close before central defender Benatia headed in a Xabi Alonso free kick in the 27th minute.
Lewandowski made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute when Matthias Ostrzolek’s header rolled into his path and Mueller headed the third goal following a surging Costa run and a superb left-footed cross. Mueller added his second goal of the evening in the 73rd minute, rounding keeper Rene Adler after good work from Lewandowski.
Costa then capped a memorable Bundesliga debut with a goal when he drilled the ball in from the edge of the box three minutes from time.   “It was a fully deserved Bayern win but we kept space tight at the start,” said Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia. “We need to defend much better though. At 2-0 we were too sloppy but it is a learning process even if it hurts.”  
Having won the treble of Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup in 2013, Bayern have the hunger for more silverware, according to Mueller. “It was a super performance and despite the success of the previous seasons, we showed we still have the hunger and that we’ll keep pushing, even when we’re 3-0 up,” said Mueller.
“We want to maintain this mentality and we want to be champions again, a fact we underlined against Hamburg.
“We want the other clubs in Germany to know that we’re not just here for fun.”
Bayern dominated Hamburg by creating 16 chances while the visitors failed to produce a single shot on goal in reply. New signings Arturo Vidal and Douglas Costa both impressed on their Bundesliga debuts for Bayern, while the latter netted Munich’s fifth goal with a superb left-footed strike as Robert Lewandowski and Medhi Benatia also scored. “When you start the season like that, it’s a sign. We wanted to set things straight for the other teams as well,” added Bayern’s Dutch winger Arjen Robben.

Schalke crush Werder, Leverkusen also win
Schalke 04 kicked off their Bundesliga season in style, crushing hosts Werder Bremen 3-0 yesterday to give new coach Andre Breitenreiter a winning debut with the Ruhr valley club.
Werder’s Theodor Gebre Selassie gave the visitors an unexpected lead when he chipped the ball over his own keeper as he tried to clear in front of striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting slotted in from a superb Joel Matip through ball in the 68th minute and Huntelaar completed their win after Leroy Sane charged forward and cut back for the Dutchman, who became the fourth best Bundesliga scorer for the club. With former Werder forward Franco Di Santo booed with every touch of the ball by the home crowd, Werder battled on but could not mount a serious comeback against a rock solid Schalke backline. Bayer Leverkusen came from a goal down to beat Hoffenheim 2-1 with Stefan Kiessling and Julian Brandt on target in either half after Steven Zuber had given the visitors a fifth-minute lead.
Marcel Heller’s double strike, including a sensational 70-metre solo run for his first goal, was not enough to give promoted Darmstadt 98 a winning return to the Bundesliga after 33 years, drawing 2-2 with Hanover 96.
The 29-year-old winger intercepted a backpass and rounded keeper Ron-Robert Zieler for his second against Hanover, who equalised for a second time thanks to a Aytac Sulu own goal.
Hertha Berlin edged past Augsburg 1-0 with both teams finishing with 10 players after the dismissal of Augsburg’s Raul Bobadilla with a second yellow card and Roy Beerens following suit midway through the second half. Promoted Ingolstadt did it better, stunning hosts Mainz 05 1-0.
Borussia Dortmund threw down the gauntlet to defending champions Bayern with a 4-0 drubbing of Borussia Moenchengladbach yesterday.