Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski (L) celebrates with Arjen Robben (C) and Arturo Vidal after he scored against Cologne during their Bundesliga match in Munich yesterday. (Reuters)

AFP/Munich


Arjen Robben netted on his return from injury as Bayern Munich romped to a 4-0 home win against Cologne yesterday to claim their 1000th victory in the Bundesliga.
With second-placed Borussia Dortmund hosting Augsburg on Sunday, league leaders Bayern took their chance to extend the gap at the top to 10 points in picking up their 10th straight league win of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side became the first team to record 1000 Bundesliga victories as Netherlands captain Robben scored in his first match since August while Arturo Vidal, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller got on the scoresheet.
The Bavarian giants bounced back from the disappointment of Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Arsenal in the Champions League—their first loss of the season—in emphatic style.
Having been named in the starting line-up after a groin injury, Robben netted after 35 minutes before Vidal doubled their lead five minutes later when he converted Kingsley Coman’s superb pass from the flank.
Poland striker Robert Lewandowski cemented his place as the league’s top scorer when he headed home on 62 minutes for his 13th goal in nine league games this season.
Thomas Mueller made it 4-0 on 77 minutes when he converted a penalty after Lewandowski was fouled in the area.
Wolfsburg stayed fourth with a 1-0 win at Darmstadt as Daniel Caligiuri hit their 78th minute winner.
Fresh from their 4-4 draw at home to Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday, Bayer Leverkusen had to come from 2-0 down before beating Stuttgart 4-3 in another thriller.
The first half was goalless, but Stuttgart took a 2-0 lead through Martin Harnik and Daniel Didavi.
Germany winger Karim Bellarabi made it 2-1 on 57 minutes before midfielder Lukas Rupp netted for the visitors’ to make it 3-1 with an hour played.
Two goals in two minutes from Poland defender Sebastian Boenisch and Mexico striker Javier Hernandez levelled the scores before Swiss striker Admir Mehmedi netted the 89th-minute winner.
The victory lifted Leverkusen to fifth while Stuttgart remain in the bottom three.
Nigeria striker Anthony Ujah scored twice as Werder Bremen broke their five-match losing streak with a 3-1 win at Mainz as Japan striker Yoshinori Muto scored the hosts’ consolation goal in the 90th minute.
The result lifted Bremen out of the relegation zone and up to 14th while Mainz dropped to 13th.
Midfielder Marc Stendera was Eintracht Frankfurt’s hero with both of their second-half goals in a 2-1 comeback victory at Hanover 96, who hang just above the relegation places.
Ten-man Hoffenheim are second-from-bottom after their 1-0 defeat to Hamburg on Friday thanks to Pierre-Michel Lasogga’s late winner while Hoffenheim’s Bosnian defender Ermin Bicakcic was sent off for a second yellow card.