Bayern breezes through on Lewandowski's historic night

MUNICH－Whatever hope Red Bull Salzburg had of overcoming Bayern Munich was extinguished by Robert Lewandowski scoring a hat-trick in 11 minutes.

It was game over by the time Lewandowski's third hit the net in the 23rd minute on Tuesday to make it the earliest treble in Champions League history.

A second leg that started at 1-1 was tilted 4-1 in Bayern's favor by the striker's scoring master class. A 7-1 win－thanks to further goals from Serge Gnabry, a double from Thomas Mueller, and Leroy Sane－made it 8-2 on aggregate.

At least Salzburg avoided the complete humiliation of not scoring, with Maurits Kjaergaard netting for the Austrian team.

"That was a statement win," Bayern captain Manuel Neuer said. "I think we showed a different side of ourselves today and didn't concede as many chances on the break. We were also more stable in defense, which obviously gives us hope that things can continue in that vein."

Tuesday's other last-16 game was far tighter, with Liverpool relying on its 2-0 victory at Inter Milan to advance after losing the return leg 1-0 at Anfield.

It was three weeks ago when Bayern was reliant on a late equalizer from Kingsley Coman to avoid losing the first leg.

After failing to score－or even hit the target in Salzburg－Lewandowski has now taken his season tally to 42 goals in all competitions.

It took only 12 minutes to score his first against Salzburg, from the penalty spot after being brought down by Maximilian Wober. The defender fouled him again and Lewandowski converted his penalty again in the 21st minute.

The third came from open play, running onto Mueller's pass and then knocking a shot past the advancing goalkeeper Philipp Koehn from the edge of the penalty area.

The previous earliest hat-trick from the start of a Champions League match came in 24 minutes from Marco Simone for AC Milan against Rosenborg in 1996.

"Today it was an opponent on a different level," Salzburg defender Rasmus Kristensen said. "We had some chances but if you don't make them count, it is difficult. We gave everything but it wasn't enough. It had nothing to do with attitude, focus or the match plan. They simply have been better in all aspects－that's it."

Coman seized the ball off Mohamed Camara to set up Gnabry in the 31st to shoot under Koehn.

Mueller scored nine minutes into the second half before Kjaergaard struck a superb left-footed consolation for the knockout-phase newcomer.

But Mueller swept in his 52nd Champions League goal in the 83rd after exchanging passes with Lewandowski and Sane.

The rout was completed with an assist from the striker who started it. Lewandowski back-heeled to Sane, who netted the seventh in the 85th.

"Today we had the luck that was completely missing in Salzburg," Mueller said. "We could have gone 1-0 down after five minutes. You're always a little dependent on situations like that, but overall we were better."

Agencies via Xinhua