bundesliga

Philippe Coutinho stars and Robert Lewandowski strikes again as Bayern Munich dispatch spirited Paderborn

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Philippe Coutinho assisted one and scored another for the second time in as many games, while Robert Lewandowski was on target for the sixth successive Bundesliga match as Bayern Munich moved top of the table with a 3-2 win over rock-bottom Paderborn.

Paderborn 2-3 Bayern Munich
Goals: 0-1 Gnabry (15'), 0-2 Coutinho (55'), 1-2 Pröger (68'), 1-3 Lewandowski (79'), 2-3 Collins (84')

Barcelona loanee Coutinho ran the show for Bayern in a largely one-sided first half. The only surprise was that the defending champions just had the one goal to show for their dominance. Serge Gnabry got it, courtesy of an ingenious Coutinho assist, but not before Lewandowski had passed up a golden opportunity to move onto double figures for the campaign. The contest was still in its infancy when Coutinho and Gnabry combined to tee up the current Bundesliga top scorer for what looked like a routine tap-in, but Lewandowski contrived to stroke wide of the empty net. Kingsley Coman and Lewandowski had further chances, while Coutinho saw a goal-bound drive deflected wide.

It was business as usual after the restart as substitute Alphonso Davies and the lively Coman threatened a second Bayern goal. The Canadian’s final ball was cut out, but the men in white did not take long to double their advantage. Coman was involved, picking out Joshua Kimmich, who in turn flighted a wonderful ball into the path of Gnabry. The Germany international could have scored himself, but instead returned the favour for Coutinho to add to his earlier assist and bring up his second Bundesliga goal. Paderborn substitute Kai Pröger halved the deficit against the run of play, but there was to be no fairytale ending, despite Jamilu Collins following up Lewandowski’s 10th goal of the season with a stunning late strike.

Match stats

  • Coutinho has registered two goals and two assists in his five Bundesliga appearances to date (three starts).
  • Gnabry scored his first competitive goal since 28 April 2019.
  • Lewandowski is the first Bayern player to score in the first six games of a Bundesliga season, and the first in league history to reach double figures after six matches.
  • Paderborn are the only Bundesliga side yet to win this season, while Bayern are unbeaten in their last 20 league outings (W15, D5), since a 3-1 loss at Bayer Leverkusen in early February.
  • Paderborn's starting line-up had 94 Bundesliga appearances and nine goals combined. Bayern's boasted 1600 and 299 respectively.
  • Pröger scored his first Bundesliga goal, and Paderborn's first substitute strike of the season. The promoted club have now found the net at last once in all six of their league games in 2019/20.

Line-ups

Paderborn: Huth - Dräger, Kilian, Hünemeier (c), Collins - Cauly (Ritter 73'), Vasiliadis, Gjasula (Shelton 84'), Antwi-Adjei - Zolinski (Pröger 62'), Michel
Unused subs: Zingerle, Strohdiek, Sabiri, Jans, Mamba, Holtmann
Out: -
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard, Süle, Boateng, Hernandez (Davies 46') - Kimmich, Thiago (Martinez 46') - Gnabry, Coutinho, Coman – Lewandowski (Müller 80')
Unused subs: Ulreich, Cuisance, Tolisso, Alaba
Out: Arp (hand surgery), Goretzka (thigh), Perisic (flu)
Coach: Niko Kovac