World Soccer

Oliver Lang (AFP/Getty Images)

Luca Toni scored a hat-trick to secure his place as the Bundesliga’s top-scorer after Bayern Munich Saturday’s 4-1 win over Hertha Berlin.

Italian World Cup winner Toni, who joined Bayern from Fiorentina last summer, finished the season with 24 league goals - 39 in all competitions - after the win at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

This is a final Bundesliga game for goalkeeper Oliver Kahn before retirement. Kahn lifted the Bundesliga shield for the eighth time in his 14 years at Munich.

Bayern Munich also broke the 20-year record for the least goals conceded in a league season. Bayern have leaked just 21 league goals all season. They have broken Werder Bremen’s previous mark of 22 set in the 1987/88 season.

It also farewelled game for coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, who will take over the Swiss national side. And after a successful reign at Bayern where he won the Champions League in 2001, Hitzfeld signed off as coach with his fifth Bundesliga title.

“These have been incredible year,” the tearful Hitzfeld told German sports agency SID.

“The responsibility and the pressure were always big, it has cost me a lot of nerves, but I am very happy.

“I can’t hide my tears any more, but they are tears of happiness.”

Having wrapped up the league title a fortnight ago, Bayern finished with a 10-point lead as second-placed Werder Bremen beat Bayer Leverkusen 1-0.

Bundesliga 2007/08 season honours

• League champions: Bayern Munich (Champions League)
• Runners-up: Werder Bremen (Champions League)
• Third place: Schalke 04 (Champions League, third qualifying round)
• Fourth place: Hamburg SV (UEFA Cup)
• Fifth place: VfL Wolfsburg (UEFA Cup)
• Relegated: Nuremberg, Hansa Rostock, MSV Duisburg
• Top scorer: Luca Toni, 24 goals
• Cup winners: Bayern Munich
• Cup runners-up: Borussia Dortmund (UEFA Cup)

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