Barcelona shrugged off the absence of Lionel Messi to move to the top of La Liga as Luis Suarez and Neymar were target in a 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Gijon. The host enjoyed the better of the opening half-hour, but was hit by a two-goal Barca burst in three minutes as Suarez rounded Ivan Cuellar to slot home the opener before Rafinha headed home a second. Sporting was reduced to 10 men 16 minutes from time when Alberto Lora saw a second yellow card and Barca made its man advantage count as a Neymar double and Arda Turan rounded off the scoring in the final 10 minutes. Barca coach Luis Enrique made five changes to the side that started Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid as Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba joined the injured Messi in dropping out. Bayern edges past Hamburg Champion Bayern Munich needed an 88th-minute winner by Joshua Kimmich to beat Hamburg SV 1-0 Saturday and protect its three-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga. Struggler Hamburg had battled hard to protect a goalless draw, hoping to end a three-game losing run, with goalkeeper Rene Adler making a string of saves before Kimmich drilled in a Franck Ribery cutback at the far post. The result lifted Bayern to 15 points, three ahead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, which beat Freiburg 3-1 Friday. Bayern, who take on Atletico Madrid in the Champions League next week, faced a determined Hamburg team, looking to turn their season start around, pressing them high and allowing just three shots on target in the first half. Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti brought on Ribery and the Frenchman added instant pace down the left wing but neither Thomas Mueller nor Robert Lewandowski could beat Adler from close range. The keeper was finally beaten when Ribery launched another trademark run, cut across the goalmouth and Kimmich slipped in to score the winner to extend Bayern's perfect start to the season with its fifth win in five matches. Borussia Moenchengladbach climbed to fourth on 10 points after easing past Ingolstadt 2-0 for its tenth straight home win under coach Andre Schubert. Hertha Berlin conceded a stoppage time equaliser from Michael Hector to draw 3-3 at Eintracht Frankfurt and drop to sixth on 10. Mexican striker Javier Hernandez scored a hat trick, including a stoppage time winner, to lead Bayer Leverkusen from a goal down and 2-1 down to a last-gasp 3-2 win over Mainz 05. — Agencies
