MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) -Bayern Munich powered to a 3-0 win over VfL Bochum on Saturday to move three points clear at the top of the Bundesliga as they warmed up for next week’s Champions League Round of 16 match against Paris St Germain.
Thomas Mueller, who became Bayern’s all-time record outfield player with his 428th league appearance, chased down a clearance from his own half and got possession after a weak back pass from Bochum defender Saidy Janko to slot home and open the scoring in the 41st minute.
Leon Goretzka should have doubled their lead on the stroke of halftime but sent his header on the rebound wide of the post from two metres out.
Bayern keeper Yann Sommer then had to pull off a superb one-handed save to tip Philipp Hofmann’s header wide in the 52nd.
But the hosts then turned on the afterburners to score twice and finish off the game.
Substitute Kingsley Coman gave the hosts, who travel to PSG on Tuesday, a two-goal cushion four minutes after coming on, slotting the ball through the legs of keeper Manuel Riemann in the 64th, and Serge Gnabry rifled in a penalty for their third 10 minutes later to seal victory.
Bayern are on 43 points, three ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund. Union Berlin, in third on 39, are in action against RB Leipzig later on Saturday.
“This match today influences Tuesday’s game (against PSG),” said Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann.
“On Tuesday we want to improve and the result is important (for the Bundesliga) because we were only one point ahead of Union (before the game) who play later.”
“Our lead is not big so we have to keep winning our games.”
The Bavarians could have added a few more towards the end with 17-year-old Arijon Ibrahimovic, who came on as a late substitute, carving out a few good chances.
(Reporting by Karolos GrohmannEditing by Toby Davis)
