…While Jota nets hat-trick as superb Liverpool thrash Atalanta 5-0***

Bayern Munich came from behind to crush RB Salzburg 6-2 with two goals from Robert Lewandowski on Tuesday.

The win ensured the German Bundesliga champions stretched their record winning run in the UEFA Champions League to 14 consecutive games.

They are also leading their group by five points after three games.

The Bavarians, who have won five titles in 2020, including the UEFA Champions League, went behind after only four minutes.

This was after Mergim Berisha was left completely unmarked inside the penalty box to beat goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Bayern Munich instantly bounced back and Serge Gnabry had his shot cleared off the line before their top goalscorer Lewandowski levelled with a 21st minute penalty kick.

Salzburg defender Rasmus Kristensen then turned a Thomas Mueller cross into his own net a minute before the break.

The hosts came close to an equaliser right after the restart but Neuer got his fingertips to Enock Mwepu’s shot to turn it wide.

The Bayern Munich goalkeeper was beaten in the 66th minute, however, when Masaya Okugawa fired Salzburg level.

In spite of a string of chances for the home side, it was Bayern Munich who scored again.

In a strong finish with Jerome Boateng powering in a header from Joshua Kimmich’s corner kick in the 79th minute.

Leroy Sane scored with a perfectly curled shot four minutes later.

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Lewandowski headed his second goal in the 88th minute.

Lucas Hernandez drilled in a sixth in stoppage time to lift Bayern Munich to nine points in Group A ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid.

Lokomotiv Moscow, who drew 1-1 at home to Atletico Madrid, are third on two points, with Salzburg in last place on one point.

In another development, Striker Diogo Jota netted his first hat-trick for Liverpool as they thrashed Atalanta 5-0 on Tuesday in a blistering performance.

The victory ensured that Liverpool went five points clear at the top of their UEFA Champions League Group D after three straight wins.

Jota’s treble continued his scintillating start to his Liverpool career.

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane also got on the scoresheet in a superb display from Juergen Klopp’s English Premier League (EPL) champions.

Jota wasted an early chance before giving his side the lead in the 16th minute.

He latched on to a pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold, holding off Jose Luis Palomino before delicately flicking the ball past Marco Sportiello.

The Portugal forward, who arrived from Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported fee of 41 million pounds (54 million dollars) in September, made it 2-0 in the 33rd minute.

This was after he controlled a raking pass from Joe Gomez with his left foot before firing home with his right.

With the home side reeling, Salah scored a super solo goal two minutes into the second half.

He collected a clearance from Andy Robertson and running from the halfway line before curling the ball in at the far post.

Minutes later it was Mane’s turn to make it 4-0 with a sublime chipped finish.

Jota then completed his hat-trick with another coolly-taken effort in the 55th minute for his seventh goal in his first 10 appearances for Liverpool.

Atalanta’s best chances on the night fell to Duvan Zapata, who clipped the underside of the crossbar with a superb curling strike.

He twice tested Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson with stinging shots and also had a stoppage-time effort ruled out for offside.

Salah almost scored a sixth for Liverpool in the 83rd minute.

Once again he ran half the length of the pitch after an Atalanta corner was cleared, but this time his shot was steered out for a corner by Sportiello.

The victory puts Liverpool top of the group with nine points after three games, having conceded no goals.

Ajax Amsterdam are second on four points and ahead of Atalanta on goal difference after a 2-1 win away to Danish side FC Midtjylland.

Reuters