In this July 16, 2016 picture Munich’s Arjen Robben reacts during the friendly soccer match between SV Lippstadt 08 and FC Bayern Munich in Lippstadt, Germany. Photo: AP
FRANKFURT: Arjen Robben picked up the ball on the right flank, cut inside and curled in a left-foot shot into the upper corner of the far post.
It was a trademark goal from Robben that sealed Bayern Munich’s 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin and left Carlo Ancelotti’s team with a perfect record and a two-point lead after four matches in the Bundesliga.
“This is the most beautiful moment for me, I’d worked hard for this,” Robben said.
Robben had been sidelined since March, following adductor and hamstring injuries, but he needed only seven minutes to find the net after coming on.
His return means Bayern’s powerful wing pairing of Franck Ribery and Robben is back in business.
Ribery opened the scoring, Thiago Alcantara added the second and Robben came off the substitutes’ bench to score in the 72nd, to the delight of the home fans in Munich.
Hertha came into the match as the only team with a perfect 3-0 record, alongside Bayern, but it was outclassed, and never threatened to score.
Asked during the break what was the best moment from his team’s point of view, Hertha’s director Michael Preetz replied, “the halftime whistle.”
Hertha was fortunate to concede only one goal in the first half. Ribery toyed with two defenders to slot home from close range in the 16th, rolling a left-footed shot inside the far post. But Thomas Mueller, Robert Lewandowski and Javi Martinez wasted early opportunities.
Ribery was all over the muddy pitch but Bayern could not score again in the first half.
Robben came on in the 65th to loud cheers and only three minutes later Bayern was two goals up. Thiago stole the ball from the careless Allan on the edge of the area and scored easily.
Then Robben struck, curling a left-foot shot into the upper corner at the far post to receive a standing ovation.
In other matches:
Schalke 1, Cologne 3
Schalke scored its first goal of the season but Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s first-half strike meant little as Cologne came back with goals from Yuya Osako, Anthony Modeste and Simon Zoller to send Schalke to its fourth straight defeat to start the season. Cologne is now second, one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund.
RB Leipzig 1, Borussia Moenchengladbach 1
Moenchengladbach needed an 84th-minute goal from Fabian Johnson to clinch a point against the newcomers, who had gone ahead through Timo Werner in the sixth. Leipzig remains unbeaten after four matches.
Werder Bremen 1, Mainz 2
The change of coach brought no improvement for Werder Bremen, which remains bottom with four losses in four matches.
Alexander Nouri, who replaced Viktor Skrupnik, saw his team go ahead through Iset Hajrovic but late goals from Yunus Malli and Pablo de Blasis turned the match.
Bayer Leverkusen 0, Augsburg 0
Leverkusen’s Charles Aranguiz shot wide from the penalty spot as his team remained on one win and a disappointing 12th place.
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