Chicharito claims hat-trick for Bayer Leverkusen in golden goal-run

Mexico striker Javier Hernandez claimed only the second hat-trick of his career on Saturday to extend his scoring run to 15 goals in Bayer Leverkusen’s last 12 games.

“Chicharito” needed just 13 second-half minutes to score his three goals in Leverkusen’s 5-0 victory over Borussia Moechengladbach in the German league as ex-Germany striker Stefan Kiessling also scored either side of half-time.

Ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid star Hernandez has now scored ten league goals for a total of 17 in all competitions for Leverkusen this season.

It extends Hernandez’s remarkable run of 15 in the last 12 games since the end of October, including the equalizer in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with reigning Champions League holders Barcelona.

This was his second hat-trick since scoring three goals for Mexico in a 5-0 win over El Salvador in the group stages at the 2011 Gold Cup.

He went onto be the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals, as the Mexicans eventually won the final 4-2 against the USA.

Hernandez’s goals at the BayArena sealed Leverkusen’s valuable victory which lifts them up to sixth as they claimed only their second win in their last nine games.

His goals will be sorely missed at United, who sold him to Leverkusen in August for £8 million (11m euros, $12m) as they slumped to a 2-1 win at Bournemouth on Saturday and have scored just four goals in their last five games.

‘Gladbach crashed to their first defeat in 11 league games under coach Andre Schubert in their 5-0 hammering and drop to fifth.