Roy rampant as Reds roast Ajax

Bayern took a giant stride towards the Champions League knock-out stage on Tuesday evening with a thumping 4-0 win over sorry Ajax, hat-trick hero Roy Makaay lifting his European tally to an amazing ten in ten games for the 2001 winners.

A good-sized 50,000 crowd saw an even opening, but the youthful visitors caved in once Makaay's deadly finishing skills had handed the Reds a 3-0 lead with goals after 28, 44 and 52 minutes, the last a trademark penalty.

Zé Roberto added a fourth shortly afterwards and Munich might even have increased the margin despite easing back after the hour on an evening when experience emphatically got the better of youth.

For the Reds' first stern European test of the new campaign Felix Magath turned to the experience of Owen Hargreaves in midfield, with Hasan Salihamidzic and more surprisingly Sammy Kuffour at full-back.

The decision meant a place on the bench for Sebastian Deisler, Andi Görlitz and Tobias Rau, with disappointed Bastian Schweinsteiger not even making the matchday squad.

Ajax coach Ronald Koeman's young but hugely talented side started with a three-man defence organised by Dutch international Jonny Heitinga and tasked with containing Bayern's potent front pairing of Claudio Pizarro and super striker Roy Makaay.

The first half served up an intriguing clash of styles, Ajax's swift and inventive passing against the German giants' disciplined pressing – and organisation, power and the world-class genius of Makaay proved the winners after 45 minutes.

The opening phase saw both sides go for goal in a refreshingly open game. Pizarro prodded against a post and Salihamidzic came close after a superb five-man move, but in between rising starlet Rafael van der Vaart squandered a golden opportunity to open the visitors' account, miskicking at the far post on the quarter hour.

But the Reds looked hungry and were rewarded for upping the tempo after 28 minutes, Makaay latching onto the increasingly influential Hargreaves' superbly flighted long ball before exploding a vicious drive beyond keeper Lobont and into the top corner.

Ajax were rattled, and Lobont saved well in quick succession from Hargreaves' free-kick and Pizarro's header as Bayern went for the jugular.

The second duly arrived at the psychologically important moment a minute before the break – and again it was Makaay, rising in front of Heitinga to glance Zé's swerving free-kick into the far corner.

The Dutchman was on irresistible form in his first ever meeting with a club from his home nation and completed a fine hat-trick from the penalty spot following Lobont's blatant 52nd minute foul on Pizarro as Bayern powered on after the interval

Amsterdam heads dropped now and the rampant Reds added a fourth three minutes later, Zé Roberto finishing off a flowing move involving Pizarro, Kuffour and Makaay to banish any lingering doubts over the destination of the points.

The demoralised Dutch started dishing out the tasty stuff in frustration and both Ballack and Lucio needed treatment, but even though the Bavarians shifted down a gear there were still chances for Hargreaves, Ballack and substitute Deisler midway through the half.

The game, long over as a contest, meandered to a close, leaving Koeman and his troops to lick their wounds but the 2001 winners approach the rest of the group stage programme in supremely confident mood.