Champions League: Pizarro hits hat-trick as Bayern defeat Lille 6-1

Munich: Bayern Munich knocked Lille out of the Champions League with a resounding 6-1 victory, thanks in no small part to Claudio Pizarro`s 15-minute hat-trick.

It was the fourth fastest treble in the competition`s history and added to early free kicks from Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben to send the Bavarians in at half-time with a five-goal lead. Salomon Kalou replied with a fine individual goal after half-time, but substitute Toni Kroos steered in another for die Roten to kill off any optimistic hopes of a French fight-back. Thomas Muller had an opportunity to put the hosts ahead after three minutes but goalkeeper Mickael Landreau held his nerve to save well, yet a foul on Schweinsteiger in the immediate aftermath meant that les Dogues could not rest on their laurels. And indeed they were made to pay when Schweinsteiger majestically swept in the dead ball from 20 yards. Muller again wasted a gilt-edged opportunity two minutes later when he blazed well over the bar, before Nolan Roux sent a header over the crossbar from Mathieu Debuchy`s cross at the other end. But Bayern soon put the game to bed when Pizarro exchanged a sharp one-two with Franck Ribery on the edge of the area and fired low into the bottom corner, before a Robben free kick deflected in off Florent Balmont. Pizarro got across his man to turn home Philipp Lahm`s low cross to notch his second at the near post after 28 minutes, and it was soon going to get worse for the visitors. After a five-minute period of brief respite for the Lille defence it was 5-0 when Pizarro nodded home another right-wing cross from Lahm to wrap up his 15-minute treble. Robben broke through on the counterattack and looked set to add the sixth goal, but Landreau was equal to his delicate chip. Despite the threat of that Bayern counter, Lille went forward again three minutes before the break, but Roux`s shot was deflected wide. Moments later the visitors were almost punished after committing too many men forward once again. This time David Alaba won possession deep in his own half, stormed forward, exchanged passes with Ribery and curled the ball just wide of the far post. Out of nowhere, Kalou burst past Javi Martinez and lashed a fierce strike in off the underside of the crossbar 13 minutes into the second half. The disappointing Muller was withdrawn just after the hour mark and replaced by Kroos, who wasted no time in getting die Roten back to scoring ways. Lahm again burst into space in an advanced position down the right and cut the ball back for the Germany international to slot the ball home from the edge of the area. Robben was gifted three superb opportunities to add to the scoreline as the game drew to a close, but each time he was thwarted. First his shot was blocked following a fine Xherdan Shaqiri flick, before he was twice denied by the out-rushing Landreau, who stood up well as the Dutchman bore down on goal. Bayern`s performance was a signal of intent to the rest of Europe, who will no doubt be wary of last season`s beaten finalists on this showing. Lille, on the other hand, showed exactly why they have been knocked out of the competition without a point to their name. Goal.com