By John Bagratuni, dpa
Berlin (dpa) – Arjen Robben scored on his return from a long injury layoff as champions Bayern Munich maintained their perfect start into the Bundesliga season and ended that of visiting Hertha Berlin with a 3-0 victory on Wednesday night.
Robben, who had spent six months on the sidelines with a groin injury, came on in the 64th and curled a trademark goal into the far left corner seven minutes later. Franck Ribery and Thiago were also on target as Bayern got their 11th straight league win over Hertha.
«I had goosebumps when I came on. I worked hard for it. I am super happy,» Robben told Sky TV.
The result gives Bayern a perfect 12 points and a two-point lead over Cologne; with Borussia Dortmund, Hertha and Eintracht Frankfurt following on nine each.
Cologne prevailed 3-1 at Schalke who remain on zero points, just as bottom side Werder Bremen who lost 2-1 against Mainz in stoppage time under caretaker coach Alexander Nouri, in charge after Viktor Skripnik had to go Sunday.
Elsewhere, RB Leipzig drew 1-1 with Borussia Moenchengladbach, while Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg ended scoreless.
Hertha won their first three season games but suffered a familiar defeat in Munich where they have not won a Bundesliga match since 1977.
Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Mueller and Javi Martinez wasted huge early chances before Ribery danced around two defenders and opened the scoring in the 16th with a low shot, celebrating it in style with a dab.
Hertha finally got a first chance on the hour but Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer saved well from Valentin Stocker.
Thiago finally got the second in the 68th after stealing the ball from Allan in Hertha’s penalty area, and Robben then wrapped up matters for utterly dominant Bayern in the 71st to cap his comeback.
Schalke got their first goal of the campaign from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar but not their first points as they lost at home against Cologne for the third straight time.
Cologne were undeterred by conceding their first goal of the season and level two minutes later, in the 38th, from Yuya Osako’s low shot from the edge of the area.
Unmarked Anthony Modeste got the second in the 77th and substitute Simon Zoller clinched victory seven minutes later – after goalkeeper Timo Horn had made a big save against Huntelaar.
«There is big disappointment and it is difficult to find the right words. We must let it sink in and then see what we did wrong,»
Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewedes said.
Schalke would have slipped to last place had not Bremen crashed in the final minutes. They led from Izet Hajrovic’s early blast into the top right corner but Yunus Malli levelled in the 87th and Pablo de Blasis stole victory for Mainz with a header deep into stoppage time.
Leipzig led against Gladbach from Timo Werner but Fabian Johnson, who was denied by the crossbar in the first half, levelled with six minutes left.
Leverkusen dropped points again again owing to a missed penalty, with Charles Aranguiz aiming wide left against Augsburg, after Javier Hernandez had missed from the spot in Saturday’s 2-1 loss in Frankfurt.
