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Berlin: Robert Lewandowski wrote Bundesliga history on Tuesday and sent records tumbling by scoring five goals in just nine minutes in Bayern Munich’s 5-1 romp at home to Wolfsburg.
Bayern were 1-0 down at the break thanks to a goal by Wolfsburg winger Daniel Caligiuri when coach Pep Guardiola opted to swap midfielder Thiago Alcantara for Lewandowski.
It proved to be an inspired move which saw Bayern go top of the table from Borussia Dortmund, who are at Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
The Poland striker scored just six minutes later to start his record-breaking haul as he demolished the Wolfsburg defence in a dazzling display.
“I am very happy, that was crazy,” beamed Lewandowski.
“We were 1-0 down when I came on and I knew we had to give some gas, but it’s unbelievable to get five goals.”
It was his best haul since scoring all four for ex-club Borussia Dortmund in their 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the 2013 Champions League semi-final.
“To score four goals in a Champions League semi-final was very important and a big story in my career, but to score five goals means this is another big evening for me,” he added.
The 27-year-old set the record for the fastest hat-trick, as he needed just three minutes, 19 seconds to hit his first three goals.
His five minutes, 42 seconds for the fourth goal was also a Bundesliga record, as was his nine minutes for the fifth.
It was the first time five goals have been scored in the Bundesliga since Michael Toennies in August 1991 in a 6-2 win for Duisburg against Karlsruhe.
His haul was the first time a player has come off the bench to score five goals in a Bundesliga game.
Lewandowski fell just short of matching the record goal-haul for a single Bundesliga match of six achieved by Cologne’s Dieter Mueller in their 7-2 win over Werder Bremen in August 1977.
A superb goal from right winger Caligiuri gave Wolfsburg the lead on 26 minutes when he drilled his shot inside the near post and past Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after cutting in from the wing.
Bayern were dealt an almighty scare and were only saved by the post on 39 minutes.
Neuer left his area, but misjudged a clearance near the halfway line and France midfielder Josuha Guilavogui launched a 50 metre shot at the empty goal, but Munich’s blushes were spared as it span harmlessly off the left post.
The game then changed in dramatic fashion when Lewandowski came off the bench and scored his first when he stabbed the ball home on 51 minutes.
The second followed just seconds later when Xabi Alonso, who looked suspiciously offside, headed forward and Lewandowski buried his shot inside the left post with a superb shot.
He claimed his hat-trick on 55 minutes when his shot gave Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio no chance before he saved the best two goals until last.
On 57 minutes, Lewandowski converted Douglas Costa’s cross with a volley at point-blank range, then produced a superb turning volley to claim his fifth on 60 minutes and came within a whisker of his sixth just moments later.
It was little surprise that he was named man-of-the-match.
Hertha Berlin are up to fourth in the table after Bosnia striker Vedad Ibisevic scored twice to claim his first Bundesliga goals since January 2014 in their 2-0 win at home to Cologne.
Darmstadt earned a 2-1 comeback win at ten-man Werder Bremen as Sandro Wagner scored both their goals, including a penalty, as midfielder Fin Bartels was sent off on 88 minutes for a second yellow card.
Hamburg are sixth after their 1-0 win at Ingolstadt as Austria’s Michael Gregoritsch came off the bench to scored the winner with a late free-kick.
