Bundesliga
In-Sane Bayern thrash Benfica
Leroy Sane scored twice as Bayern Munich maintained their perfect start in UEFA Champions League Group E with a comfortable 4-0 win at Benfica.
Benfica 0-4 Bayern Munich
Goals: 0-1 Sane 70', 0-2 Everton o.g. 80', 0-3 Lewandowski 82' (assist: Sane), 0-4 Sane 84' (assist: Stanisic)
Bayern monopolised possession from the get-go at the Estadio da Luz, the scene of their 2019/20 Champions League final triumph over Paris Saint-Germain. Robert Lewandowski tested former VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos inside two minutes, before Sane clipped an effort wide. Lewandowski and the returning Kingsley Coman went close with a pair of headers either side of a sensational Manuel Neuer save to thwart Darwin Nunez against the run of play. Sane and Lewandowski ramped up the chance count, with the latter denied an opening goal for a VAR-confirmed handball.
Normal service resumed after the restart as Vlachodimos touched Benjamin Pavard's ferocious effort onto the woodwork. Thomas Müller had the ball in the back of the net soon after, only for VAR to intervene for an offside against Coman. Benfica took heart as Diogo Goncalves forced Neuer into another impressive save and Roman Yaremchuk shot wide, but their luck ran out in the 70th minute when Sane curled home an unstoppable free-kick. Coman fired off a pair of long-range attempts, before Everton put a Serge Gnabry cross through his own net for 2-0. Late Lewandowski and Sane goals added the gloss to Bayern’s third straight Champions League win.
Match stats
- Lewandowski has scored five goals in three Champions League games in 2021/22. Only Ajax's former Eintracht Frankfurt striker Sebastien Haller has hit more (six).
- Sane has scored six and assisted eight in 13 competitive appearances so far this term.
- Nagelsmann’s side are the top scorers after three rounds of fixtures on 12 goals.
- Neuer is yet to concede in this season's competition. He became the fourth Bayern player to reach 100 Champions League appearances.
- Bayern are unbeaten in 11 UEFA matches against Benfica.
- The record champions have not lost away in the Champions League in a tournament record 20 matches, dating back to a 3-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the 2017/18 groups (W16, D4).
Line-ups
Benfica: Vlachodimos - Verissimo, Otamendi, Vertonghen - Almeida (c) (Goncalves 40'), Weigl, Mario, Grimaldo - Silva, Yaremchuk (Everton 76'), Nunez
Unused subs: Leite, Gilberto, Meite, Pizzi, Radonjic, Taarabt, Paulo Bernardo, Goncalo Ramos, Morato, Ferro
Out: Lazaro (muscular), Seferovic (muscular)
Coach: Jorge Jesus
Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard (Gnabry 66'), Upamecano, Süle, Hernandez (Richards 86') - Kimmich, Sabitzer (Tolisso 86') - Coman (Musiala 86'), Müller (Stanisic 77'), Sane - Lewandowski
Unused subs: Früchtl, Choupo-Moting, Sarr, Roca, Nianzou
Out: Davies (thigh), Goretzka (cold), Ulreich (knee)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
As it happened!
0 - 4(0 - 0)
Benfica
FINAL
Bayern
vs
BAYERN STAY PERFECT
Wow. A fabulous late flourish sees Bayern claim a comfortable victory in Lisbon, which means they have won their first three games of this season's Champions League campaign without conceding a goal. It finished 3-0 against Barcelona, 5-0 against Dynamo Kyiv and now 4-0 against Benfica. The six-time European champions are looking like the team to beat in this season's competition.
89'
vs
BAYERN'S LATE BLITZ
Bayern's patience has been rewarded, and they've completely blown Benfica out of the water in the closing stages here. It's going to be another big win for the Group E leaders, who already have one foot in the knockout stage.
86'
vs
Omar Richards
Lucas Hernández
86'
vs
Jamal Musiala
Kingsley Coman
86'
vs
Corentin Tolisso
Marcel Sabitzer
86'
vs
OH BENFICA...
What's going on?! This is Germany vs. Brazil at the 2014 World Cup stuff - or Bayern against Barcelona from a few seasons ago, if you prefer - they're scoring every time they go forward. Sane grabs his second after a neat ball into the area from Stanisic.
83'
vs
AND LEWY MAKES IT THREE!
Game over. Bayern get a healthy slice of luck as Gnabry's cross into the area pinballs nicely into the path of Sane, who squares for Lewandowski to tap in from close range.
81'
vs
BAYERN DOUBLE UP!
And surely that is that. It's a tale of two substitutes as Gnabry gets to the byline on the right-hand side and pulls across the area - only for Everton to head into his own net!
80'
vs
Everton
OWNGOAL!
0:278'
vs
ALMOST A WORLDIE FROM COMAN!
The Frenchman bursts forward on the left flank, cuts inside and hits an absolute piledriver that blazes just over the bar.
78'
vs
MÜLLER OFF
There'll be no 50th Champions League goal for Thomas Müller tonight, but it's been another good shift from the Bayern No.25, who makes way for young defender Josip Stanisic.
77'
vs
Josip Stanišić
Thomas Müller
76'
vs
Everton
Roman Yaremchuk
74'
vs
BAYERN LOOKING TO PUT THE GAME TO BED
Coman curls one over the bar and Bayern are straight back on the attack, they want to make the three points safe.
72'
vs
UPAMECANO ON A CHARGE
The French defender is well inside the Benfica area when he's brought down by Nunez, who seems to have hurt his knee in the process.
71'
vs
SANE SCORES!
And this one won't be ruled out by the VAR! A magnificent direct free-kick from Sane to finally give Bayern the lead they deserve.
68'
vs
AND NOW YAREMCHUK!
This is an even better chance for Benfica, with Yaremchuk outmuscling Upamecano before whistling a shot just wide of the far post. A let-off for Bayern!
67'
vs
GONCALVES BLASTS OVER
He had options there, but luckily for Bayern he decided to fire high into the stands.
66'
vs
FIRST CHANGE FOR BAYERN
And it's an attacking one, with Gnabry on for Pavard. The former hit a brace against Bayer Leverkusen on the weekend.
66'
vs
Serge Gnabry
Benjamin Pavard
63'
vs
LEWY JUST OVER
Müller makes a clever run into the Benfica area to pick up a long throw-in, then crosses for Lewandowski - whose header sails over the bar.
60'
vs
COMAN THE BARBARIAN
Kingsley Coman is torturing Goncalves down the left-hand side whenever he gets the ball. If Bayern do make the breakthrough, you feel it's likely to come down his flank...
60'
vs
HERNANDEZ TOO
Another of Bayern's Frenchmen goes into the book, this time for pulling back Rafa Silva.
59'
vs
Lucas Hernández
57'
vs
UPAMECANO BOOKED
He's the first Bayern player to pick up a yellow card, for a foul on Yaremchuk. From the resulting Benfica free-kick, Verissimo heads just wide.
56'
vs
Dayot Upamecano
55'
vs
NEUER AGAIN!
Another one-handed beauty of a save from Neuer to tip a powerful attempt from Goncalves over the bar. A timely reminder that Benfica could still sneak this against the run of play...
53'
vs
ANOTHER DISALLOWED GOAL
It looked like Bayern had broken the deadlock again, but this one is also ruled out by the VAR, for offside against Thomas Müller. The Bayern man appeared to have got his 50th Champions League goal after more magic from Coman, but Benfica survive for a second time.
51'
vs
Joao Mario
49'
vs
AND NOW MÜLLER HITS THE BAR!
But the flag is up for offside.
46'
vs
PAVARD OFF THE WOODWORK!
Bayern pick up where they left off by laying siege to the Benfica area. More brilliance from Coman down the left, and his cross in is met by Pavard on the other side - think his effort against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup - but his ferocious strike crashes back off the woodwork, it's a great save from Vlachodimos. Müller then has a shot blocked. Bayern off to a quick start in this second half!
46'
vs
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
Benfica kick us off again in Lisbon.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
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HALF-TIME
Bayern will probably be a little frustrated that the scoreline remains 0-0 after an impressive first-half showing. The record Bundesliga champions had three times as many attempts as Benfica (9-3), while Lewandowski had that goal ruled out for offside. With a little more cutting edge, Julian Nagelsmann's side should be able to make it three wins from three in Group E.
0 - 0
Half-time
45' +1
vs
OUCH!
And now a heavy collision between the two number 5s, Pavard and Vertonghen. The foul is given against the Belgian but he appears to be worse off than the Frenchman. Both men OK to play on.
45'
vs
Nicolas Otamendi
45'
vs
FOUR MINUTES OF ADDED TIME
Meanwhile Otamendi is booked for a spectacular charge on Kimmich.
44'
vs
LEWY GOAL RULED OUT!
It looked as though Robert Lewandowski had put Bayern ahead from a Coman cross, but he knocked the ball in with his arm and the goal has been chalked off after a VAR check.
41'
vs
BENFICA LOSE THEIR CAPTAIN
A blow for the hosts as their skipper Almeida is forced off with injury.
40'
vs
Diogo Goncalves
Andre Almeida
38'
vs
SANE INCHES WIDE!
Leroy Sane is also causing Benfica all sorts of headaches tonight, but the Germany international can't quite find the bottom corner as he comes skipping through the middle, putting his effort just wide of the post.