97-goal Bayern within four of record; Dortmund avoid Hamburg upset
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Serge Gnabry scored a brace and Harry Kane was also on target as runaway leaders Bayern Munich trounced Union Berlin 4-0 on Saturday and moved within four of their 54-year-old Bundesliga scoring record of 101 goals in one season.
Michael Olise was also on target as Bayern reached 97 goals. With seven games left it is only a matter of when, not if, the record from 1971-72 will fall. Bayern's first chance comes after the international break on April 4 in Freiburg.
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"This tally is unbelievable. It (the record) will fall," sporting director Christoph Freund said.
Bayern remained nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund who avoided a big upset when they fought from two goals down to beat SV Hamburg 3-2 at home, missing one penalty but converting two others.
Elsewhere, Cologne's Eric Martel scored the 3-3 equalizer and was sent off two minutes later in a turbulent 100th top flight Rhine derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach which saw four goals in the opening 20 minutes.
Also in the lowlands, the troubles of second last Wolfsburg grew in the form of a 1-0 home defeat against Werder Bremen from Justin Njinmah's winner. Wolfsburg had Moritz Jenz dismissed in stoppage time.
Bottom club Heidenheim came from 2-0 and 3-2 down to draw 3-3 with Bayer Leverkusen with the help of a Marvin Pieringer brace. The point may be too little for either team as Heidenheim are 11 points from safety and Leverkusen fell behind in their top four bid.
The Sunday games are Mainz v Eintracht Frankfurt, St Pauli v Freiburg and Augsburg v VfB Stuttgart. RB Leipzig rose to third with a 5-0 demolition of top four rivals Hoffenheim on Friday.
Bayern continue scoring
Bayern were in full control against Union but took until the 43rd minute to open the scoring. Olise received an over the top pass from Leon Goretzka and fired into the far corner for his 11th season goal.
Gnabry doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time after Joshua Kimmich's cross came his way off an attempted clearance by Union goalkeeper Frederik Rønnow.
Kane curled the third four minutes after the restart in-between two defenders to bring his tally to 31 and within 10 of Robert Lewandowski's record of 41.
He should have added another late on, after Gnabry got his 11th for what turned out to be the final score in the 67th.
"We felt we were in the game from start to finish although it took a while to get the first goal," coach Vincent Kompany said.
Dortmund fightback
Hamburg played a superb first half in Dortmund to lead from Philip Otele in the 19th and Albert Sambi Lokonga in the 38th, and Dortmund's misery seemed complete when Felix Nmecha sent a penalty wide left.
But coach Niko Kovac brought Serhou Guirassy and Ramy Bensebaini for the second half and they delivered in the closing stages.
Bensebaini halved the deficit in the 73rd from the spot, Guirassy levelled five minutes later with a volley while lying on the ground, and Bensebaini made no mistake from 11 metres again for the 84th minute winner.
Wild derby
Gladbach had a dream start into the 100th Bundesliga Rhine derby when former Cologne academy product Jens Castrop fired them ahead less than 30 seconds into the game.
Cologne turned match arounnd in the next six minutes. Said El Mala controlled a long ball well to score the equalier and Ragnar Ache ran into Jakub Kamiński's sharp cross from the right for 2-1.
Gladbach were not shocked and were level at 2-2 after 20 minutes from Philipp Sander. They thought they had won it from Castrop's stunning second on the hour but Martel headed home for 3-3 in the 84th before being dismissed on which Gladbach could not capitalise.
Cologne sporting director Thomas Kessler spoke of an "emitional rollercoaster" but added that "we have reached a stage where we should get three points again" as he did not explicitely back coach Lukas Kwasniok.
Castrop would have also preferred full points for Gladbach who are three points above fourth last Cologne.
"It was very special with many emotions but also frustrating that we didn't get the three points," he said.
Borussia Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini (C) celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpaBorussia Dortmund's Fabio Silva (C) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammates Serhou Guirassy (L) and Felix Nmecha during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpaBorussia Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini (L) celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpaHamburger's Albert Lokonga (2nd L) scores his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpaHamburger's Philip Otele (L) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with teammates Fabio Vieira (C) and Nicolai Remberg during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Hamburger SV at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpa