Bayern Munich beat UANL Tigres to win FIFA Club World Cup and complete sextuple
Benjamin Pavard was on target as Bayern Munich won the FIFA Club World Cup final 1-0 against Mexican side Tigres on Thursday, making history in the process by completing the sextuple.
This title completed the set for Hansi Flick’s side, who lifted the Bundesliga, DFB Cup, UEFA Champions League, DFL Supercup and UEFA Super Cup trophies in 2019/20. They survived a scare as early as the first minute when Tigres talisman Andre-Pierre Gignac was afforded a free header, but it was deflected wide from a corner. Bayern grew into the game after that and there were a couple of promising openings for Robert Lewandowski before Joshua Kimmich thought he had put his side ahead with a swerving long-range strike, only for it to be disallowed for an offside call against the Polish forward. Alphonso Davies was dangerous down the left with a couple of surging runs but Leroy Sane went closest to breaking the deadlock when his first-time strike from the edge of the box from a corner struck the top of the crossbar.
The Bundesliga leaders remained the superior side after the break and Sane had the first chance of the second half, but he headed over from Kingsley Coman’s left-wing cross. Serge Gnabry then had a glorious opportunity to fire Bayern in front, but his attempted curler towards the top corner floated just high of the target. Pavard showed them how it was done midway through the half, firing in from close range after Lewandowski had beaten Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman to Kimmich’s cross. The Mexican side struggled to muster a response and it was Bayern who went closest to scoring again, with Carlos Salcedo almost heading into his own net following a misunderstanding with Guzman, who made amends moments later to keep out Douglas Costa’s stinging drive. It was ultimately of little consequence, however, as Bayern held firm to complete the sextuple and lift the crown as the world’s best team.
Match stats
Bayern became only the second team in history to win the sextuple, after Barcelona in 2010.
FIFA Club World Cup Final Final Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Doha
90'
+ 4
BAYERN HAVE DONE IT!
The final whistle blows and Hansi Flick's side have won the FIFA Club World Cup final and completed the sextuple! They were the better side throughout and ultimately Pavard's second-half goal was the difference between the teams! Congratulations, Bayern!
End of second half
90'
+ 1
FOUR MORE MINUTES
We're into stoppage time now as Bayern push for a second!
90'
OVER FROM CHOUPO-MOTING!
Brilliant stuff from Costa, who dribbles through the middle before finding Choupo-Moting on the left, inside the Tigres area. He takes a left-footed strike but it's just too strong and goes over the bar.
86'
SUPBER FROM CHOUPO-MOTING!
The Bayern forward gets away from his marker as he sprints into the box down the right. He cuts inside and lays it off to Costa, whose thundering shot is brilliantly saved by Guzman.
84'
ALMOST 2-0!
A defensive mix-up between Salcedo and Guzman almost leads to a Bayern goal. Guzman comes off his line to collect a long-ball forward, but Salcedo either doesn't see or hear him, and tries to head it back to where he would normally be. The ball rolls towards the empty net, but Guzman scampers back to clear it off the line!
83'
GIGNAC GOES FOR THE SPECTACULAR
A Tigres throw-in from the left is flicked on by Gonzalez. It comes to Gignac, who goes for an acrobatic overhead kick, but he doesn't make any contact and Bayern can clear.
80'
CLOSE CALL FOR GIGNAC
Musiala is nudged off the ball in the Tigres half and the Mexicans look to get forward straight away. It's played forward to Gignac, but the flag goes up for offside. Moments later, Julian Quinones comes on for Rodriguez in an attacking change.
PAVARD THE MATCH-WINNER?
The France defender's goal is the difference between the sides as we head towards the final 10 minutes.
It's a bit if a surprise to see Lewandowski taken off with just a goal in it, but Flick is likely mindful of the fact that his charges are back in Bundesliga action against Bielefeld on Monday. Choupo-Moting takes his place up top, while Musiala and Costa now occupy the wing positions in place of Sane and Coman.
Alaba gets a chance to shoot from the edge of the box, but his well-hit drive whistles narrowly over the bar.
70'
JUST WIDE FROM TOLISSO
Coman wins a free-kick wide on the left and it's whipped in towards the near post. Tolisso is first to it, but his glancing header flies just the wrong side of the near post.
67'
TIGRES FREE-KICK
Gignac floats a free-kick in from the left towards the back post. Hernandez is well placed to clear though.
64'
FIRST SUB
Bayern make the first change of the game as Tolisso replaces Gnabry. He'll likely go straight into the No.10 position just behind Lewandowski.
Lewandowski beats Guzman to Kimmich's cross and the ball bounces to Pavard, who has an open goal. He taps in from close range but the referee blows his whistle for offside against Lewandowski. It goes to a VAR review though, and the goal is given!
The Germany international drops a shoulder and sprints between two opposing players in midfield. He's tackled by Salcedo but the ball goes straight to Sane, who tries to play Gnabry into the box. It's a nice idea and Gnabry's still got his momentum, but the pass isn't strong enough and Tigres manage to clear.
54'
COMAN UP FOR IT
The French winger has looked lively this half and goes on another mazy run down the left. He rides three challenges before trying to find Lewandowski in the middle, but his final pass is poor and Tigres can clear.
51'
OVER FROM GNABRY!
Alaba with a delightful pass into Gnabry, who's just inside the Tigres penalty area on the left. He immediately checks back onto his right foot and the space opens up for him to shoot. He tries to curl it into the far corner, but leans back to far and ends up sending it over the target. That was Bayern's best chance for a long time.
48'
BRILLIANT FROM COMAN
Coman scurries away from Rodriguez down the Bayern left, getting to the byline and lifting a cross into the middle. It's just behind Sane though, and he can't keep his header from ballooning over the bar.
46'
UNDERWAY AGAIN
Bayern get the ball rolling, no changes from either side at the interval.
Kick-off!
ALL SQUARE AT THE BREAK
Bayern have been on top for most of the half and have had the better chances, with Kimmich having a goal disallowed and Sane hitting the crossbar. Tigres have threatened sporadically, although their best opportunity was arguably inside the first minute when Gignac had a free header blocked for a corner. All still to play for in the second half!
Davies is fouled on the Bayern left, about 45 yards from goal. Kimmich takes it but his delivery is straight to a Tigres player, who is only able to clear as far as Coman. He takes a first-time shot from the edge of the box, but it is also blocked.
41'
YELLOW CARD FOR DUENAS
The Tigres defender is booked for time wasting after taking a long time over a throw-in on the left.
37'
BAYERN ON TOP
The Bundesliga champs have had seven efforts on goal (four on target) to Tigres' three, of which only Pizarro's earlier daisy-cutter was on target. The Reds have also had 55 per cent of possession so far.
34'
SANE HITS THE CROSSBAR!
Gnabry takes a corner from the left and spies Sane unmarked, lurking on the edge of the area. He rolls a short(ish) corner into his path and Sane's fierce first-time angled shot bounces off the top of the crossbar.
32'
PIZARRO SHOOTS
Tigres have a corner from the left and the ball eventually comes to Pizarro on the edge of the Bayern box. He takes a first-time shot, but his low effort is straight at Neuer.
HARD-FOUGHT
Alaba (l.), playing in central midfield today, tracks Gignac as the French forward tries to launch an attack.
Aquino gets forward well down the Tigres left, and the Mexican side work the ball over to the right. Quinones smacks a cross-shot into the box, but Hernandez is well placed to boot it clear.
24'
BAYERN GO 5 ON 4!
A brilliant chance for Bayern as Alaba drives forward on the counter. He slots it into the run of Davies, overlapping on the left, and he in turn tries to pick out Lewandowski in the middle, but Salcedo just manages to cut it out before the Bayern striker can get there.
23'
DAVIES GOES FOR GOAL
A lovely run from Davies, dropping his shoulder to skip past his marker in midfield before sprinting forward down the left. He cuts inside and runs along the edge of the box before shooting with his weaker right foot, but he doesn't get much power behind it and it's an easy save for Guzman.
18'
KIMMICH WONDER GOAL DISALLOWED
Kimmich collects the ball about 30 yards from goal, over to the right. He's allowed to take a touch and advance forward before smashing a brilliant shot, cutting across it from right to left, low into the far corner. It's a stunning strike but the referee goes over to his pitch-side monitor and rules it out, adjudging Lewandowski to be interfering with play in an offside position.
15'
NEUER TO THE RESCUE
The Bayern keeper darts off his line to smother the danger after Quinones tries to get on the end of a through-ball. It looked dangerous for a moment, but Neuer is Neuer...
14'
ALMOST FOR LEWANDOWSKI
Davies turns on the turbo on the left, surging past three defenders and into the box. He flicks it inside to Lewandowski, but the ball holds up on the turf and the Pole is unable to get a shot away.
12'
OVER FROM QUINONES
Tigres break forward through Gignac, who tears away down the left. His progress is halted by Süle and Alaba, forcing him to check his run and cut back inside. He finds Quinones in a central position, about 25 yards out, but his attempted shot is wayward and doesn't trouble Neuer.
9'
BAYERN RESHUFFLE
The changes in personnel have forced Flick to change his side around a bit. Hernandez is playing at centre-back, Davies at left-back, with Alaba pushing forward into central midfield alongside Kimmich. Gnabry is playing in the central playmaker's role behind Lewandowski - Sane and Coman are on the wings.
6'
CHANCE FOR LEWANDOWSKI!
A lovely through-ball from Alaba sends Lewandowski sprinting clear into the box. His first touch is uncharacteristically wayward though, forcing him to check his run and allowing Salcedo to recover and make a block.
3'
BRIGHT START FROM TIGRES
The Mexicans have started well, with Gignac forcing an early corner with a header before delivering a dangerous free-kick in from the left.
1'
HERE WE GO!
Tigres get the ball rolling on this final!
Kick-off!
ON THE PITCH
The players are lined up out on the grass now as we go through the final few pre-game formalities. Having played in an all-white strip on Monday, the Bundesliga leaders are back in their more familiar Red kit today.
WARMING UP
Lewandowski and Co. have been working up a sweat out on the pitch as they warm-up. We're not far away from kick-off now.
WATCH: LEWANDOWSKI: JANUARY PLAYER OF THE MONTH NOMINEE
It's no secret that Lewandowski is the man to watch for Bayern today. He's also in the running for the Bundesliga's January Player of the Month gong. Here's why...
AL AHLY TAKE THIRD PLACE
Egyptian side Al Ahly, beaten by Bayern in the semis earlier this week, pulled off a shock in the third-place play-off, beating Palmeiras 3-2 on penalties after the game ended goalless.
HISTORY ON BAYERN'S SIDE
Tigres are the first Mexican club ever to reach a Club World Cup final, whereas Bayern have won the competition once before, doing so in 2013. Indeed, a European team has lifted the trophy on 12 of the 16 occasions the tournament has been held, with the UEFA Champions League winners taking the crown each of the last seven times.
TIGRES TEAM NEWS
Following their shock 1-0 semi-final triumph over Palmeiras, Tigres coach Ricardo Ferretti has unsurprisingly named an unchanged side here. Veteran French forward Andre-Pierre Gignac is the man danger man, but diminutive Mexico international Javier Aquino is also a handful on his day.
BAYERN TEAM NEWS
Bayern coach Hansi Flick has been forced to make two changes to his side following the semi-final win over Al Ahly on Monday. Jerome Boateng and Thomas Müller are both unavailable, so Niklas Süle and Lucas Hernandez come into the side at centre-back and left-back respectively, with Alphonso Davies pushing further up the pitch. Elsewhere, Leroy Sane starts in place of Marc Roca in what is a very attack-minded Bayern side.
