Soccer-Whirlwind Bayern crush Arsenal 5-1

* Bayern beat Arsenal 5-1 in round of 16 first leg

* Thiago Alcantara scored twice

* Bayern won record 16th straight home game in competition

* Germans scored three goals in 10-minute spell

* Substitute Mueller adds late fifth

* Return leg in London is on March 7

MUNICH, Feb 15 ( Reuters) - Bayern Munich crushed Arsenal 5-1 in their Champions League round of 16 first leg on Wednesday, scoring three goals in a dazzling 10-minute spell in the second half to extend their record to 16 consecutive home wins in the competition.

Thiago Alcantara struck twice and Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben and substitute Thomas Mueller were also on target as the Bavarians, struggling for form recently, inflicted Arsenal's first defeat of the season in Europe's premier club competition.

Alexis Sanchez had equalised for the visitors, scoring on the rebound after Manuel Neuer saved his 30th-minute penalty.

The sides meet for the second leg in London on March 7.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)