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| Robert Lewandowski of Muenchen scores his team's fourth goal during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and VfL Wolfsburg at Allianz Arena on December 17, 2021 in Munich, Germany. |
Robert Lewandowski has set a new Bundesliga calendar year scoring record - 43 goals - as runaway leaders Bayern Munich entered a short winter break with a 4-0 win over over Wolfsburg.
Lewandowski scored the final goal when he tapped into the roof of the net off Jamal Musiala in the 87th minute on Friday.
Thomas Mueller opened the scoring in the seventh minute of his 400th top flight game before Dayot Upamecano and Leroy Sane added the others after the break, before Lewandowski reached his latest milestone.
Bayern are nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund, who wrap up their first half of the season on Saturday at lowly Hertha Berlin.
Bayern got their 23rd victory in 25 unbeaten home games against Wolfsburg and finished 2021 with a record 116 league goals, shattering the previous mark of 101 set by Cologne in 1977.
Wolfsburg meanwhile slumped to their seventh straight defeat in all competitions and are in 12th, just three points away from the danger zone.
Bayern wasted no time behind closed doors and were 1-0 up after seven minutes when Mueller tapped home after goalkeeper Koen Casteels had saved a long-range effort from Serge Gnabry.
Wout Weghorst was denied an equaliser shortly afterwards by Germany keeper Manuel Neuer while Lewandowski on the other end failed to pounce on the rebound of a Leroy Sane shot saved by Casteels.
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| Robert Lewandowski of Muenchen scores his team's fourth goal against Sebastiaan Bornauw of Wolfsburg during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and VfL Wolfsburg at Allianz Arena on December 17, 2021 in Munich, Germany. |
Casteels was also on his guard against Musiala but Bayern's second eventually came two minutes later in the 55th when Mueller chipped the ball to Upamecano to head in his first Bayern goal.
And another two minutes later it was 3-0 from Sane's stunning curling shot into the far left corner.
Lewandowski aimed high in the 66th and and had a shot saved by Casteels 10 minutes later but he finally got the record with three minutes left from short range.
In May he had bettered Mueller's single season record by one to 41 goals by scoring in the 90th minute of the final game against Augsburg.
He is on course towards similar figures with 19 goals this season, with Bayern on a record 56 goals at the halfway mark of a season and expected to challenge their own league record of 101 from 1971-72.
Bayern start the second half of the season on January 7 against Borussia Moenchengladbach.
