Bayern Munich strolled past Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 yesterday to stay clear in the Bundesliga, having been temporarily dislodged three hours earlier when Borussia Moenchengladbach clinched a 1-0 win over Nuremburg.
Gladbach have not won the league since 1977 and their most recent honour, in 2008, was the second division trophy.
But Belgian defender Filip Daem’s 76th-minute penalty was enough to ensure that the five-time champions enjoyed a few hours top of the heap before Bayern Munich ruthlessly brushed aside Leverkusen.
Bayern’s opening goal came on five minutes from Thomas Mueller, with Belgian defender Daniel van Buyten netting the second on 19 minutes to effectively put the match to bed.
Leverkusen had not won in Munich in 22 attempts and without their flu-ridden former Bayern star Michael Ballack they offered little resistance.
Bayern took their foot off the gas in the second half with an eye on their midweek Champions League date with Manchester City.
But Arjen Robben still had time to put his name on the scoreboard in the final minute on his return from injury, the Dutch winger netting from close range after good work from Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The Bavarians now lead the way with 18 points from seven games, two clear of Gladbach, who notched their fifth win of the season as they look to get back in touch with past glories.
Reigning champions Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, had to scrap as they came from a goal down to win 2-1 at Mainz.
Dortmund have been on the ropes this term, losing three of their opening six matches, but they showed some grit after Nikolai Muller had put Mainz into a 33rd-minute lead.
Ivan Perisic, on target in the Champions League in the draw with Arsenal, bagged the equaliser midway through the second half before Lukasz Piszczek clinched victory in the dying seconds, poking home through a forest of legs.
The win moved Dortmund up three places to eighth and also provided a welcome tonic ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League visit to Marseille.
Results
Augsburg vs Hanover 0-0; B. Munich vs B. Leverkusen 3-0; Mainz vs B. Dortmund 1-2; B. M’gladbach vs Nuremberg 1-0; Schalke vs Freiburg 4-2; Wolfsburg vs Kaiserslautern 1-0.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| B. Munich | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 18 |
| B. M’gladbach | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 16 |
| Werder Bremen | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 13 |
| Hoffenheim | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 12 |
| Schalke | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 12 |
| Hanover | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 12 |
| Stuttgart | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 10 |
| Dortmund | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 10 |
| Nuremberg | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| Hertha Berlin | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 9 |
| Wolfsburg | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 9 |
| Cologne | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 7 |
| Mainz | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 7 |
| Kaiserslautern | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 5 |
| Augsburg | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 4 |
| Freiburg | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 22 | 4 |
| Hamburg | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 4 |
Playing today: 15.30 Cologne vs Hoffenheim. 17.30 W. Bremen vs Hertha Berlin.