Email
Print
Digg This
By Iain Rogers
BERLIN, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich won 4-1 at Karlsruhe SC to open a two-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Luca Toni opened the scoring for the Bavarians in the fifth minute, the Italian latching on to Mark van Bommel's pass and cleverly lifting the ball over advancing goalkeeper Markus Miller.
Bundesliga top scorer Miroslav Klose made it 2-0 15 minutes later with his fifth of the season. Hamit Altintop tested Miller from just outside the box and the Germany striker poked the loose ball home from close range.
Altintop extended Bayern's lead early in the second half with a powerful drive but Karlsruhe hit back when Massimilian Porcello drove the ball through a crowd of players to beat Oliver Kahn low to his right.
Bayern's Ze Roberto completed the scoring in the 75th minute with a low drive after Klose's fine through ball.
Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld had glowing praise for Toni and Klose, both new arrivals at the club this season.
"Those are two top-quality strikers," Hitzfeld said. "Toni is a phenomenon. The way he controlled the ball and lifted it over the keeper was really top class."
After six matches Bayern have 14 points, two more than second-placed Hertha Berlin, who beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
In Sunday's other match, Bayer Leverkusen won 3-0 at Hanover 96 to move up to third on 11 points.
Leverkusen's Arturo Vidal slipped the ball through to Stefan Kiessling in the 50th minute and the striker's low shot beat keeper Robert Enke.
Vidal then cheekily sidestepped Enke to slot home Leverkusen's second and Theofanis Gekas struck their third from the penalty spot after Enke brought the Greek player down.
