Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Bayer Leverkusen v VfL Bochum - BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany - December 20, 2023 Bayer Leverkusen players celebrate in front of fans after the match REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
LEVERKUSEN, Germany (Reuters) - Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick scored a first half hat-trick to guide them to a 4-0 victory over VfL Bochum on Wednesday and send them into the winter break in top spot with a four-point advantage.
Leverkusen, unbeaten in the league, were unstoppable after a slow start and struck three times in 15 minutes to kill of the game in the first half. The league resumes on Jan. 12.
The 27-year-old Czech forward drilled in a penalty on the half hour mark and then slotted in his second goal of the evening in the 32nd after a low cross into the box from Jeremie Frimpong.
He completed his hat-trick in stoppage time heading in an Alejandro Grimaldo corner.
They added a fourth with substitute Victor Boniface in the 69th.
Leverkusen end the year on 42 points in top spot, four ahead of Bayern Munich, who have a game in hand. VfB Stuttgart are third on 34.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann)
