Berlin (dpa) – Patrik Schick netted four goals as Bayer Leverkusen consolidated third spot in the Bundesliga with a crushing 7-1 win over basement side Greuther Fuerth on Saturday, while Hoffenheim moved fourth.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund take on leaders Bayern Munich later in a big title clash but Leverkusen made sure they kept on the pair’s coat-tails thanks to Schick’s four close-range finishes and goals from Amine Adli, Edmond Tapsoba and Piero Hincapie.
Czech striker Schick scored his four all in a row between the 49th and 76th minutes to move onto 12 league goals for the season, still two behind Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski, who also retains has the quickest four-goal burst in Bundesliga history.
Schick was at least the first Leverkusen player to score four in one Bundesliga match.
«In the first half, I didn’t even shoot on the goal. I didn’t have any chances. In the second half it was a bit like when you open the ketchup,» he told Sky. «Fuerth gave up a little bit.»
Leverkusen have 27 points from 14 games, three points adrift of Dortmund and four behind defending champions Bayern. Hapless Fuerth meanwhile are still stuck on just one point, with an immediate return to the second tier already looming.
Hoffenheim moved up to the fourth and final Champions League spot after coming from behind to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 at home.
Dennis Geiger, Georginio Rutter and Diadie Samassekou netted after Rafael Borre had given inconsistent Frankfurt hope on 15 minutes in front of just 750 fans because of new coronavirus rules.
Goncalo Paciencia’s fine finish cut the deficit but it was too late.
«When the league is so tight and everyone can beat everyone, you just have to take every game as it comes,» said Geiger.
Hoffenheim replaced Union Berlin, who had gone fourth with a 2-1 victory over RB Leipzig on Friday. Freiburg can reclaim fourth in Sunday’s trip to Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Mainz are up to seventh and leapfrogged sliding opponents Wolfsburg after scoring two goals in the first four minutes in a 3-0 win. Jonathan Burkardt and Anton Stach struck early after questionable keeping from the Wolves’ reserve stopper Pavao Pervan.
Bryan Lasme’s well-placed leveller for Bielefeld secured a 1-1 home draw with ninth-placed Cologne who led through Salih Ozcan’s strike.
Various new limits on fans because of the resurgent coronavirus pandemic have come into force across the German states and Augsburg even played behind closed doors as they lost 3-2 to Bochum.