Furious start
©IMAGO
When Harry Kane returned, Bundesliga leader Bayern Munich once again celebrated a goal celebration at the end of the year with their offensive power regained. The record champions consolidated their lead in the table with an unexpectedly clear 5:1 (3:1) against RB Leipzig in a top game that was one-sided after both teams got off to a lightning start. Coach Vincent Kompany’s star ensemble is heading into the new year with at least a four-point lead.
Jamal Musiala’s opening goal for Bayern after 29 seconds and Benjamin Sesko’s equalizer after 103 seconds provided a first in the Bundesliga in front of 75,000 spectators in the sold-out Allianz Arena. For the first time, both teams scored in the first two minutes. After the fastest 1-1 draw in league history, the hosts showed the winning reaction that Kompany had hoped for a week after their first defeat at 1-2 in Mainz. Ex-Leipzig player Konrad Laimer (25th), Joshua Kimmich (36th), Leroy Sané (75th) and Alphonso Davies (78th) scored almost at will against surprisingly weak Leipzigers, who already seemed to be on the winter break.
A Kane goal wasn’t necessary at all. Three weeks after his torn muscle fiber, the Englishman underlined his great importance in the first few seconds without any warm-up time. The star striker forwarded the ball from Kimmich with a heel to Michael Olise, who served Musiala. The 21-year-old scored for the ninth time in the 13th league game of the season. Turbo starter Musiala scored even earlier against Kiel in the 6-1 win in September – after 14 seconds.
In contrast to FC Bayern, the guests, who dismantled the record champions 3-0 on Kane’s debut in the Supercup in Munich in the summer of 2023, acted timidly, timidly and in the end almost without resistance. There was very little of the former Leipzig DNA to be seen, apart from the equalizer with Sesko’s sixth goal of the season after an assist from Loïs Openda. All-rounder Laimer, who was happy about the birth of his first child the day before the game, set the stage for Bayern’s next home win at the end of the year after playing well with Olise.
Kimmich’s 3-1 win was symptomatic of Leipzig’s poor defensive work. Musiala played to the Munich midfield boss, who also once played for RB, who made the break unchallenged from over 20 meters. Bayern were able to get over the fact that Kane failed to score in various shot attempts after missing four competitive games (16th/39th). Kane left the pitch after 86 minutes to applause from the Munich audience.
RB coach Marco Rose, who recently managed to turn the league season around with two wins in a row, reacted in the second half with a system change. He switched from a three-man to a four-man chain. However, FC Bayern alone had the best chances, initially missing the early decision several times thanks to Min-jae Kim, Musiala, Sané and Olise (50th). However, Bayern made the stark difference in performance between the two teams clear in the result.
