Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayern Munich v VfL Bochum - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - February 11, 2023 Bayern Munich players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Leonhard Simon
MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) -Bayern Munich powered to a 3-0 win over VfL Bochum on Saturday to stay a point clear atop the Bundesliga as they warmed up for Tuesday's Champions League last-16 match with Paris St Germain.
Thomas Mueller, who became Bayern's record outfield player with his 428th league appearance, chased down a clearance from his own half and got possession after a weak back pass by Bochum defender Saidy Janko to open the scoring in the 41st minute.
Leon Goretzka should have doubled the lead on the stroke of halftime but sent his header on the rebound wide of the post from two metres.
Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer then pulled off a superb one-handed save to tip Philipp Hofmann's header wide in the 52nd.
But the hosts turned on the afterburners to score twice and finish off the game.
Substitute Kingsley Coman gave Bayern a two-goal cushion four minutes after coming on, slotting the ball through keeper Manuel Riemann's legs in the 64th, and Serge Gnabry rifled in a penalty for their third 10 minutes later to seal victory.
Bayern are on 43 points, one ahead of second-placed Union Berlin, 2-1 winners at RB Leipzig in the late game.
"This match today influences Tuesday's game (against PSG)," said Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann.
"On Tuesday we want to improve and the result is important (for the Bundesliga) because we were only one point ahead of Union (before the game) who play later."
"Our lead is not big so we have to keep winning our games."
The Bavarians could have added a few more goals towards the end with 17-year-old Arijon Ibrahimovic, who came on as a late substitute, carving out a few good chances.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Toby Davis and Ken Ferris)
