Bundesliga
Dominant Bayern breeze past Nuremberg
Robert Lewandowski scored twice and Franck Ribery got the other as Bayern Munich breezed to victory against struggling Nuremberg in the Bavarian derby.
Bayern Munich 3-0 Nuremberg
Goals: 1-0 Lewandowski (8') 2-0 Lewandowski (27') 3-0 Ribery (56')
Nuremberg must have expected the worse when Lewandowski met a Joshua Kimmich corner to give Bayern the lead inside nine minutes. The pressure was relentless as Fabian Bredlow kept out a deflected effort from Ribery. Lewandowski fluffed his lines when clean through, but made amends with his next attempt, doubling his tally from close range after Leon Goretzka’s 18-yard strike had crashed back off the upright. It might have been more, too, with Thomas Müller testing Bredlow, and Lewandowski volleying agonisingly wide.
The half-time break provided only momentary respite for Nuremberg. After Kimmich forced a reaction save out of Bredlow that opposite number Manuel Neuer would have been proud of, Bayern made it three. Bredlow was at fault, passing straight to Serge Gnabry, and despite recovering in time to block the winger’s initial effort, could only help Ribery’s fierce follow-up into the net. Bayern substitute Kingsley Coman threatened a fourth and Kimmich rattled the woodwork, before match referee Tobias Stieler put Nuremberg out of their misery.
Match stats
- Lewandowski ended a run of 376 minutes without a Bundesliga goal on home soil.
- The Pole has now scored two or more in 50 Bundesliga matches. Only Gerd Müller (87 matches) and Jupp Heynckes (51 matches) have done so more often.
- Five of Lewandowski’s last six goals in all competitions have been headers.
- Ribery scored his first Bundesliga goal in 13 matches (31 March 2018).
- Bayern kept their first Bundesliga clean sheet since Matchday 4.
- Nuremberg captain Hanno Behrens had played in Nuremberg’s last 62 matches in a row in all competitions before today.
Line-ups
Bayern: Neuer (c) – Rafinha, Süle, Boateng, Alaba – Kimmich, Goretzka (Thiago 63') – Gnabry (Wagner 74'), Müller, Ribery (Coman 63') Lewandowski
Unused subs: Ulreich, Hummels, Martinez, Renato Sanches
Out: James (knee), Tolisso (knee), Robben (thigh)
Coach: Niko Kovac
Nuremberg: Bredlow – Bauer, Margreitter (c), Mühl, Leibold – Misidjan, Erras (Ewerton 84'), Goden, Rhein (Petrak 69'), Kerk (Zrelak 69') – Ishak
Unused subs: Klandt, Salli, Kubo, Matheus Pereira
Out: Behrens (stomach), Lippert (knee), Löwen (knee), Mathenia (tendon), Valentini (thigh)
Coach: Michael Köllner