Toni-gol rules Bavaria
Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni struck twice as the German giants opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga with a 3-0 win over Nuremberg on Sunday.
Munich were without Miroslav Klose as the top-scorer at last year's World Cup struggles with a knee injury.
But Toni kept up his impressive scoring record with two goals as the win puts Bayern clear at the top, while Nuremberg remain in the relegation zone and second from bottom having picked up just one win in their last ten games.
Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld was delighted with his side's seventh win as they remain the only unbeaten side in the Bundesliga.
"We were in control from the first minute," said Hitzfeld whose side seemed destined to win their 21st crown as German champions.
"We kept our concentration and the players enjoyed the game.
"If we keep playing like this then we have a chance of winning the league."
The home side took the lead in front of a full-house of 69,000 at the Allianz Arena when Luca Toni scored his seventh league goal of the season in the 31st minute. Ze Roberto added a second five minutes from the break and then Toni added a third nine minutes from time to take his tally to nine.
Toni is now level with Klose on eight goals as the pair have now got 16 Bundesliga goals between them after just nine games.
Also on Sunday, Eintracht Frankfurt enjoyed a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen which puts them seventh.
On Saturday, Armin Veh coach of defending champions VfB Stuttgart admitted his side are in crisis after they were beaten 2-0 at home by Hanover which leaves them 12th in the league.
This was Stuttgart's third defeat in a week after they were humbled 2-1 by Bundesliga minnows Hansa Rostock last weekend and beaten 2-0 at home by Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek.
Last season's second-division champions Karlsruhe are up to second in the league thanks to their impressive 2-0 win with two goals by striker Christian Timm at Schalke 04, who are now fifth.
Werder Bremen are back up to third thanks to their 3-1 win at third-from-bottom Duisburg on Saturday.
Hamburg went fourth in the league thanks to captain Rafael van der Vaart's 49th minute winner at Arminia Bielefeld.
VfL Wolfsburg enjoyed a 1-0 win over Hansa Rostock at home, while Hertha Berlin's striker Marko Pantelic missed the chance to grab his sixth league goal of the season when he missed an injury time penalty as his side drew 0-0.
On Friday night, 10-man Borussia Dortmund lifted themselves up the Bundesliga table after Italian midfielder Giovanni Federico scored the winner in their 2-1 home victory over VfL Bochum.
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