Mario Gomez took over Michael Ballack as the German record goalscorer in the Champions League as his first half hat-trick sent Bayern Munich on their way to another three points against Napoli in Group A.
Gomez took his tally to 17 goals, one above Ballack, on a night of goals and red cards at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
His left-footed shot into the middle of the net after leaving the Napoli defender for dead with a first touch gave the Germans the lead on 17 minutes, and he doubled the advantage for the home side with a simple tap-in from Toni Kroos’ cross five minutes after.
The number 33 notched his ninth treble in a Bayern Munich shirt three minutes before half-time, tapping in a rebound from Thomas Muller’s shot. However, the visitors got a goal back on the stroke of the interval when Napoli defender Federico Fernandez headed in.
Juan Zuniga was sent off on 69 minutes for the Italians but the referee evened the proceedings up by ordering Holger Badstuber off 8 minutes later. Napoli took immediate advantage of the teams being levelled by grabbing a second goal, Fernandez scoring his second header of the evening to make it 3-2. Bayern held on to reach ten points in Group A, knowing a point at home to struggling Villarreal will seal their qualification to the last 16 knockout stage of UEFA’s elite tournament.
Bayern started the game much stronger and nine minutes in Luis Gustavo forced Napoli’s keeper Morgan De Sanctis into slightly spilling his low drive, however he recovered to clutch the ball away from the lurking Gomez.
Only 17 minutes had passed when Bayern managed to breach the Napoli rear guard, Bastian Schweinsteiger’s clever pass giving on-form Gomez the opportunity to take a touch past the defender into space and unleash a shot into the centre of the net for 1-0.
Prolific forward Gomez didn’t have to wait much longer for his brace, pouncing on Kroos’ delivery from the left and tapping home past De Sanctis in the Napoli goal. Walter Mazzarri’s side were quickly falling out of contention in the game.
Gomez came close to completing his hat trick with 34 minutes on the clock, poking a shot narrowly wide after Muller’s clever flick inside the box. After a lengthy five minute delay of Salvatore Aronica being stretchered off for Napoli Gomez got his treble, showing off his poaching skills yet again with another tap-in, this time from Muller’s shot which De Sanctis parried right to a falling Gomez.
It was a game full of statistics for the Germany international striker, his third goal of the evening his 21st in all competitions this term and making it 59 goals in his last 59 appearances for Bayern.
Fernandez gave Napoli a glimmer of hope bang on 45 minutes with a free header, converting Ezequiel Lavezzi’s perfect cross. In half-time injury-time, Marek Hamsik skiffed the side netting of Manuel Neuer’s goal, ensuring the Germany goalkeeper was at full stretch just in case.
Bayern’s holding midfielder Schweinsteiger, a pivotal part of Die Roten’s team, was taken off the field of play in a stretcher, after falling badly on his leg after challenging Gokhan Inler in the air on 57 minutes. That will be a major worry for manager Jupp Heynckes, with crucial Bundesliga fixtures to come.
Twenty minutes after the interval, Napoli were getting themselves back into the mixer. They were keeping the ball better and looked confident of grabbing another goal on the way to what would have been a sensational comeback. Zuniga stupidly fouled twice in the space of a few minutes and got a yellow for each, ending his involvement in the tie. It lost any momentum the Italians were building at the stage.
Referee Björn Kuipers infuriated the passionate Bayern home support when he harshly gave Badstuber a second yellow in the 77th minute, and were dismayed when they watched their defence allow Fernandez of Napoli to score his second header of the evening, looping his effort into the net from an Inler free kick.
In the dying embers of the game, Napoli won a corner, to which De Sanctis came up for, which was cleared away to the feet of Inler 35 yards out from goal. His ball was then cleared out into the path of goal machine Gomez who aimed for his fourth goal from his own half. His low effort was centimetres from going in, De Sanctis clearing with his right foot just in time. The full time whistle blew immediately.
The other result from Group A tonight was a comfortable 3-0 victory to the Premier League leaders Manchester City away at Villarreal. Goals from Yaya Toure (2) and Mario Balotelli gave City all three points at El Madrigal and put them second in the group behind Bayern on seven points.
Teams:
Bayern: Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Daniel Van Buyten, Badstuber, Phillip Lahm, Luiz Gustavo, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Franck Ribery, Mario Gomez.
Napoli: Morgan De Sanctis, Hugo Campagnaro, Salvatore Aronica, Federico Fernandez, Christian Maggio, Gokhan Inler, Juan Zuniga, Blerim Dzemaili, Marek Hamsik, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Edinson Cavani.
Stats:
Possession: Bayern (61%) Napoli (39%)
Shots On Target: Bayern (12) Napoli (3)
Shots Off Target: Bayern (1) Napoli (3)
Corners: Bayern (6) Napoli (5)
Man of the Match:
Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich)
Attendance:
65,000
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