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BUNDESLIGA: ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI ON TARGET AS BAYERN MUNICH THRASH HOFFENHIEM

Robert Lewandowski took his Bundesliga goal tally into double figures as leaders Bayern Munich coasted to a comfortable 4-0 win over Hoffenheim.

Bayern, with manager Julian Nagelsmann absent through illness, were in front after just 16 minutes through Serge Gnabry, who had already seen an earlier effort chalked off for a foul.

Poland frontman Lewandowski then fired in his 10th league goal with a fine 20-yard effort on the half-hour.

With eight minutes left, substitute Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting turned in a third following a corner. Corentin Tolisso’s goal was ruled out before Kingsley Coman wrapped things up late on.

Bayern remain a point clear of Borussia Dortmund, who won 3-1 at Arminia Bielefeld.

Emre Can put the visitors, missing injured forward Erling Haaland, ahead with a 31st-minute penalty and defender Mats Hummels added a second with a fine volley just before the break.

England midfielder Jude Bellingham scored a well-taken individual effort, finished by a sublime chip, with 18 minutes left. Arminia substitute Fabian Klos scored a late consolation from the spot.

RB Leipzig came from behind to beat bottom club Greuther Furth 4-1.

Branimir Hrgota put the visitors ahead from the penalty spot just before half-time, only for substitute Yussuf Poulsen to equalise shortly after the restart.

Emil Forsberg slotted in a 53rd-minute penalty, with Dominik Szoboszlai and 18-year-old substitute Hugo Novoa also on the scoresheet.

Freiburg won 2-0 at Wolfsburg with goals from Philipp Lienhart (27) and Lucas Holer (68) to move up to third while Marco Richter’s goal gave Hertha Berlin a 1-0 home win over Borussia Monchengladbach.

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SCHALKE END 30-GAME WINLESS RUN AS MATHEW HOPPE SCORES HATRICK IN 4-0 WIN OVER HOFFENHEIM.

Schalke finally ended their 30-game winless run as 19-year-old Matthew Hoppe bagged a hat-trick to help give the Bundesliga side their first league victory in 358 days.

The German side are on their fourth manager of the season and were rock bottom of the table with their last three points coming on January 17, 2020.

But their 4-0 victory over Hoffenheim means they have moved off the foot of the table and avoided equalling a league record of 31 games without win, which was set more than 50 years ago.

The result is a huge relief for the players and staff and it seems former Schalke star Weston McKennie was also overjoyed with the win.

McKennie, who left Schalke for Juventus in August, tagged the club in a celebratory video on social media in which he sang in German.

The club shared the post with the caption: ‘Once a Schalker, always a Schalker.’

It was McKennie’s United States team-mate Hoppe who was the star of the show with the youngster scoring his first three senior goals in only his fifth appearance.

Amine Harit was the provider for each of Hoppe’s strikes and the midfielder got on the scoresheet himself to round off an emphatic victory.

Christian Gross was appointed as the club’s new manager on December 27 after Huub Stevens was sacked. Manuel Baum and David Wagner were also axed by the German club earlier this season.

Gross suffered a 3-0 defeat by Hertha Berlin in his first game in charge on January 2 but will now be hoping this result can be a turning point in the club’s campaign.

The win also came on Sead Kolasinac’s first game back for the club after he joined on-loan from Arsenal last week.

The defender captained the side and received a congratulatory message from his Gunners’ team-mate Mesut Ozil.

The midfielder tweeted: ‘Yessss my brother!!! Ladies and gentlemen – The Kolasinac Effect! Maschiiiine!!!’

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MON 1-2 HOFF: MARCUS THURAM SENT OFF FOR SPITTING AS HOFFEINHEIM EDGE BORRUSIA MONCHEGLADBACH.

Borussia Monchengladbach are set to be without striker Marcus Thuram, who was sent off for spitting in the 2-1 Bundesliga defeat to Hoffenheim on Saturday.

Ryan Sessegnon scored a late goal to snatch win and stretch the hosts’ winless run to six games in all competitions.

Gladbach’s Lars Stindl followed his hat-trick at Eintracht Frankfurt in midweek with a penalty in the 34th minute to break the deadlock and put the home side in front.

But they struggled to build on the opener and Hoffenheim deservedly equalised through Andrej Kramaric in the 75th before Thuram was sent off after VAR upgraded his yellow card to a red.

The visitors made their one-man advantage count when Sessegnon, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, pounced to claim all three points four minutes from time as Hoffenheim climbed to 11th with 15 points, while Gladbach stay eighth on 18.

“It’s just a no-go,” Gladbach manager Marco Rose said of Thuram’s red card. “It’s beyond anything.

“He can only apologise. We can only apologise for it. He also hurt his team. But that’s not the point right now. It does not belong on any football pitch. He is a good lad and he will reflect it.”