Lewandowski hailed for ‘extreme goals quota’ as Bayern go top

Berlin (AFP) – Record-breaking Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski was hailed for his “extreme quota of goals” on Saturday as the defending German champions warmed up for their European duel against Tottenham with a nervy win at strugglers Paderborn which took them to the top of the Bundesliga.

Lewandowski became the first player in Bundesliga history to score 10 goals in the first six games to seala 3-2 victory at bottom club Paderborn.

While Bayern squeezed past Paderborn, Leipzig were shocked 3-1 at home to Schalke to surrender top spot.

Bayern took full advantage to claim first place before Tuesday’s key Champions League clash at Spurs, but not before conceding two second-half goals.

Philippe Coutinho, who is rebooting his career on loan in Munich after an unhappy stint at Barcelona, played a key role by setting up Serge Gnabry’s opening goal with a sublime first-half pass.

Having scored his first Bayern goal the week before in a rout of Cologne, the Brazilian playmaker tapped home Gnabry’s neat pass after the break before substitute Kai Proeger pulled a goal back for Paderborn.

With time almost up, Lewandowski showed great finishing prowess to put away a Niklas Suele pass and make it 3-1, becoming the first Bayern player to score in each of the first six matches of the season.

He is also the first Bundesliga player to reach 10 goals after the first six games.

“It’s an extreme quota, which helps when they decide games like that,” said midfielder Joshua Kimmich of Lewandowski’s goal haul.

“To have ten already is something else.”

There were, however, nervous looks in Bayern’s ranks during the final ten minutes after Paderborn defender Jamilu Collins beat Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from 30 metres out.

“We didn’t finish them off,” admitted Gnabry.

“In the second half, we had so many goal opportunities to decide the game, but our finishing was missing.

“Tottenham will be a completely different game and, of course, we must improve, but I think we can do well there.”

– Harit inspires Schalke –

In Leipzig, Morocco international midfielder Amine Harit inspired Schalke to an impressive away win, winning and drilling home a penalty, then setting up a first Bundesliga goal for Welsh teenager Rabbi Matondo.

The Royal Blues raced into a 2-0 lead with first-half goals as Senegalese centre-back Salif Sane headed home from a corner on 29 minutes before Harit’s penalty.

The referee took a long look at the replays after Harit went down after the faintest of contact from Mali defender Amadou Haidara.