BERLIN: RB Leipzig muscled past Augsburg 2-0 on Saturday to stay top of the Bundesliga after four matches while Bayern Munich banished their early-season blues with a thumping 4-1 win over minnows Arminia Bielefeld.

Leipzig moved up to 10 points with champions Bayern on nine along with Borussia Dortmund, who needed a second-half goal by substitute Marco Reus to beat hosts Hoffenheim 1-0.

Leipzig, who have now gone a club record nine away games without defeat, struggled throughout the first half but scored on the stroke of halftime when Angelino drilled in a header at the far post from a perfectly-floated Dani Olmo cross.

An unstoppable left-foot volley from Yussuf Poulsen from yet another Olmo assist — this time a well-timed lob — in the 66th gave Leipzig a two-goal cushion.

They then eased off with their Champions League opener against Istanbul Basaksehir looming on Tuesday.

Treble winners Bayern started the day in mid-table following a shock defeat to Hoffenheim last month, but both Thomas Mueller and Robert Lewandowski scored twice to ensure victory in Bielefeld.

The champions burst out of the blocks and had an early penalty appeal turned down before Mueller bundled in the opener on eight minutes.

Lewandowski doubled the lead shortly afterwards, smashing the ball in from the edge of the area after a sharp cross from Leon Goretzka.

The Poland striker linked up with Mueller to make it 3-0 just before half-time, and returned the favour after the break with a pinpoint cross to set up Mueller’s second.

Japan winger Ritsu Doan then pulled one back for Bielefeld on the break yet despite a late red card for Corentin Tolisso, Bayern were untroubled in the final stages and can now turn their attention to Wednesday’s Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid.

Dortmund hadn’t won any of their last five meetings with Hoffenheim, but Erling Haaland ran on to a ball headed from midfield and kept his cool in front of Hoffenheim’s goalkeeper before unselfishly passing to give fellow substitute Reus a tap-in in the 76th.

It had been an uninspiring game from the visitors, the first of seven matches in 21 days, including Tuesday’s Champions League opener at Lazio.

Bayer Leverkusen managed their first win of the season thanks to Lucas Alario’s 30th-minute winner against Mainz 04, who have now lost the first four games for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign under then coach Juergen Klopp.

Promoted side VfB Stuttgart continued their good start to the season, as Marc-Oliver Kempf and Gonzalo Castro fired them to a 2-0 win away to Hertha Berlin, while Werder Bremen held Freiburg to a 1-1 draw in the south west.

Wout Weghorst scored in the 85th to earn vfL Wolfsburg a 1-1 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach in the late game.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2020