Bundesliga
Bayern close group stage with Lokomotiv win
Bayern Munich closed out their UEFA Champions League group stage with a 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow at the Allianz Arena thanks to goals from Niklas Süle and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Bayern Munich 2-0 Lokomotiv Moscow
Goals: 1-0 Süle (63’), 2-0 Choupo-Moting (80’)
Bayern were already assured of top spot in Group A and were the dominant side in this final game. The closest they came in the first half, though, was when Thomas Müller turned Douglas Costa’s corner just past the near post. Manuel Neuer was essentially a spectator until well past the half-hour mark when he was forced to punch a Maciej Rybus shot away from a narrow angle. The European champions had a blistering counter-attack through Leon Goretzka and the returning Alphonso Davies, but Müller put his effort into the side netting.
It was more of the same after the break as the Champions League holders remained on the front foot and looked for a way through. In the end, it was a corner that did the job as Süle powered home Costa’s cross, having had an earlier effort from a similar position saved. The three points were then secure when substitute Serge Gnabry played in Choupo-Moting and he fired home his third Bayern goal. The holders progress to the round of 16 unbeaten and will learn their opponents on Monday when the draw is made. Moscow finish bottom of Group A.
Match stats
- Süle’s goal was his first in any competition since April 2019 when he netted against Werder Bremen. It was his first in the Champions League in his 25th appearance.
- Choupo-Moting got his third Champions League goal, all coming for different clubs. It was his third Bayern goal after his brace in the DFB Cup against Düren.
- Bayern finished a Champions League group stage unbeaten for the third straight year. Sixteen points is their second-best haul following last year’s maximum of 18.
- The treble winners are now unbeaten in 17 Champions League games, winning 16 of them. The one exception was last week’s 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid.
- Bayern finished as the group stage’s top scorers with 18 goals.
- Neuer kept his 200th clean sheet for Bayern in his 404th appearance.
Line-ups
Bayern: Neuer (c) – Sarr, Süle, Boateng (Richards 69'), Davies (Hernandez 69') – Roca, Goretzka (Musiala 61') – Sane (Stiller 85'), Müller (Gnabry 46'), Costa – Choupo-Moting
Unused subs: Nübel, Pavard, Coman, Arrey-Mbi, Zaiser
Out: Alaba (rested), Kimmich (knee), Lewandowski (muscular), Martinez (thigh), Nianzou (ineligible), Tolisso (muscular)
Coach: Hansi Flick
Lokomotiv: Guilherme - Zhivoglyadov, Corluka (c), Rajkovic, Rybus - Ignatyev, Magkeyev, An. Miranchuk - Rybchinski (Silyanov 88'), Eder, Kamano (Iosifov 76')
Unused subs: Savin, Kochenkov, Lystov
Out: Barinov (knee), Rotenberg (knee), Kulikov (not included), Murilo (suspended), Smolov (hip), Ze Luis (foot)
Coach: Marko Nikolic
As it happened
2 - 0(0 - 0)
Bayern
FINAL
Lokomotiv
90'
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ADDED TIME
Three minutes of it at the Allianz Arena.
88'
vs
Aleksandr Silyanov
Dmitri Rybchinsky
85'
vs
Angelo Stiller
Leroy Sané
80'
vs
CHOUPO DOUBLES UP
Gnabry with a lovely deft ball through the Lokomotiv defence for Choupo-Moting, who fires low past Guilherme to make it two and surely wrap things up.
76'
vs
IOSIFOV IN
And Iosifov is straight into the action as he gets in behind, but his shot is soft and straight at Neuer.
76'
vs
Nikita Iosifov
Francois Kamano
73'
vs
RYBUS TRIES IT
Rybus stands over a free-kick about 25 yards out, but Neuer can watch it bend past his left-hand post.
69'
vs
RICHARDS ON
A chance for the young American to play in his natural position of centre-back.
69'
vs
Chris Richards
Jérôme Boateng
69'
vs
Lucas Hernández
Alphonso Davies
69'
vs
Leroy Sané
65'
vs
FIRST OF THE SEASON
Süle's first goal in any competition since the 1-0 win over Bremen in April 2019. It's also his first in the Champions League in his 25th appearance.
63'
vs
SÜLE HEADS HOME!
A slightly fortunate goal as Bayern are awarded a corner when it should've been a goal-kick, but the champions play to the whistle and Süle makes no mistake with this header, powering Costa's corner past Guilherme.
61'
vs
Jamal Musiala
Leon Goretzka
60'
vs
Dmitry Zhivoglyadov
57'
vs
GNABRY X2!
Great run down the left by Davies and he picks out Gnabry in the middle after Choupo-Moting let it through. He's first denied by Guilherme and then puts the rebound wide! So close to the opening goal.
53'
vs
CHOUPO!
Great ball from Goretzka up to Sane, whose shot turns into a good assist for Choupo-Moting to backheel, but he doesn't quite catch it and it's straight at Guilherme at his near post.
50'
vs
SÜLE!
The big man gets his head to a corner and powers the effort towards goal, but it's close enough to Guilherme to get his hands up to it.
46'
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A HALF-TIME CHANGE
Hansi Flick decides Thomas Müller has had enough of a run-out so gives him a break for the second half. On comes Serge Gnabry in his place.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
46'
vs
Serge Gnabry
Thomas Müller
0 - 0
Half-time
39'
vs
MÜLLER CLOSE
Bayern quickly turn defence into attack as Davies charges away down the left on the counter. He picks out Müller, who senses his opportunity to shoot but only finds the side netting and lets out a roar.
35'
vs
RYBUS HITS ONE
And there is the first bit of actual goalkeeping Neuer has to do as Rybus has a crack from a narrow angle on the left and the FCB skipper punches it away.
32'
vs
SILENT NIGHT
Manuel Neuer is yet to face a shot tonight and just 13% of the play has taken place in his third of the pitch. Lokomotiv are also yet to touch the ball in the FCB box.
30'
vs
COSTA BENDS ONE
The Brazilian picks up the ball on the right corner of the box, shifts it out of his feet and onto his left foot, but can only curl it into the arms of Moscow goalkeeper Guilherme.
25'
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SARR'S TURN
Lokomotiv are sitting so deep that Bouna Sarr is almost playing in central midfield. A ball falls to him 20+ yards out and he lets fly, but it's blocked inside the area.
19'
vs
SANE HITS IT
The Bayern winger gets the ball out of his feet after running past a man and has a crack from well over 20 yards, but it's over.
11'
vs
ALL BAYERN
Perhaps little surprise but Bayern are dominating the play in these opening minutes. Lokomotiv are sitting back and allowing the European champions to come at them.
5'
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SARR CROSSES
A teasing cross from the right-back, but Choupo-Moting is beaten to the ball by a Lokomotiv head. And the Costa's in-swinging corner is put wide at the near post.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
vs
MOMENT AWAY
Here come the two teams at the Allianz Arena...
123s
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HIGHLIGHTS: BAYERN 3-3 LEIPZIG
The only player to feature in every single one of Bayern's games this season is Thomas Müller. He came off the bench to get the equaliser last week in Madrid and then bagged a brace as the champions played out an entertaining 3-3 draw with RB Leipzig at the weekend.
128s
vs
DAVIES RETURNS
Alphonso Davies is back from an ankle injury he picked up against Frankfurt. The Canadian is yet to really get going this season, so take a look back at his outstanding 2019/20 that saw him earn so much praise.
vs
PERMUTATIONS
As said, Bayern are already assured of top spot and will be seeded in Monday’s draw for the last 16. Lokomotiv, however, are still vying for third place and the Europa League. To do that, they must win and hope Salzburg fail to beat Atletico Madrid at the same time.
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ROTATION
With top spot in Group A already secure, Hansi Flick has again rotated his side for this final Champions League group game. Robert Lewandowski misses out with a slight muscle problem and Javi Martinez is sidelined with a thigh strain, while David Alaba is rested. The other two changes from the Leipzig game see Benjamin Pavard and Kingsley Coman drop to the bench. In come Bouna Sarr, Marc Roca, Douglas Costa, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and the returning Alphonso Davies.
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LOKOMOTIV SUBS
Savin, Kochenkov, Lystov, Silyanov, Iosifov
vs
LOKOMOTIV
Guilherme - Zhivoglyadov, Corluka (c), Rajkovic, Rybus - Ignatyev, Magkeyev, An. Miranchuk - Rybchinski, Eder, Kamano
vs
BAYERN SUBS
Nübel, Pavard, Gnabry, Hernandez, Coman, Musiala, Arrey-Mbi, Stiller, Richards, Zaiser
vs
BAYERN XI
Neuer (c) – Sarr, Süle, Boateng, Davies – Roca, Goretzka – Sane, Müller, Costa – Choupo-Moting