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Gnabry scores hat-trick as Bayern rout Stuttgart

Published:Tuesday | December 14, 2021 | 4:03 PM
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (centre) celebrates with Thomas Moeller and Serge Gnabry (left) after scoring his side's third goal during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and  Bayern Munich at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany,
Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (centre) celebrates with Thomas Moeller and Serge Gnabry (left) after scoring his side's third goal during the Bundesliga soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and Bayern Munich at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, today.

STUTTGART, Germany (AP):

SERGE GNABRY scored a hat-trick as Bayern Munich stretched their lead in the Bundesliga to nine points with a 5-0 hammering of Stuttgart today.

Before the game, Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann told broadcaster Sky it was “certainly not” time to congratulate his team on the title already, but the victory showed just how dominant Bayern can be.

Stuttgart survived an early string of chances for Bayern to score, and even created a couple of their own, before Gnabry curled the ball into the top-right corner in the 40th minute to open the scoring.

Thomas Müller set up Gnabry for a second goal just after half-time before a run of three goals in five minutes finished off Stuttgart. Robert Lewandowski chipped the ball over the goalkeeper in the 69th, before tapping in a Gnabry cross three minutes later. Soon after, Gnabry completed his hat-trick when a cross from Müller was palmed into his path by the keeper.

The game was played in an empty stadium because of state-level restrictions following a rise in coronavirus cases.

Bayern forward Kingsley Coman went off with a possible hamstring injury in the first half.

Stuttgart stay 15th after a defeat which brought Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team back down to earth following a 2-0 upset win over Wolfsburg on Saturday.

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