1,000 and counting for Bayern after Köln stroll
Munich - FC Bayern München chalked up their 1,000th Bundesliga win courtesy of a comfortable 4-0 success at home to 1. FC Köln on Matchday 10.
FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN 4-0 1. FC KÖLN
Goals: 1-0 (Robben 35’), 2-0 (Vidal 40’), 3-0 (Lewandowski 62'), 4-0 (Müller 77')
With Bayern trio Arjen Robben, Kingsley Coman and Douglas Costa named together in the starting line-up for the first time, Köln were up against it from the get-go at the Allianz Arena. Robben’s instinctive volley brought the first save of note from Köln goalkeeper Timo Horn, who had to be at his best moments later to thwart Thomas Müller one-on-one. There was an air of inevitability about the outcome when Robben opened the scoring with a cool close-range finish ten minutes before the break. Bayern duly doubled their tally five minutes later, with Arturo Vidal side footing into the net from 18 yards after a wonderful jinking run from Coman.
Robert Lewandowski had been subdued by his standards, but with all 12 of his Bundesliga goals so far this season coming after half time, Köln should have known better than to leave the Bayern striker unmarked from a Douglas Costa free-kick. The Poland international’s glancing header knocked the stuffing out of the visitors as Bayern nonchalantly went up a gear in search of more goals. Horn foiled Lewandowski and Costa had an effort cleared off the line, before Müller got in on the act from the penalty spot with his tenth Bundesliga goal in as many games after a foul by Dominic Maroh on Lewandowski.
Man of the match
Back to his best following a seven-week spell on the sidelines with a groin injury, it was almost as if Robben had never been away. The Dutchman’s 75th Bundesliga goal was the very least his devilish performance deserved.
Talking point
With no Bundesliga team ever winning their opening ten matches of the season until now, it would appear to be a question of when rather than if Bayern are going to wrap up a 25th Bundesliga title.
Match stats
- Bayern have won their last 39 matches in which they have taken at least a two-goal half-time lead.Gerd Müller and Christian Müller are the only other players to have scored 13 goals after ten Bundesliga matches.Manuel Neuer has kept 138 clean sheets in the Bundesliga.
Line-ups:
Bayern: Neuer - Rafinha, Boateng (Martinez 62’), Alaba - Lahm, Vidal - Robben (Kimmich 65’), Coman, Müller (Thiago 78’), Costa - Lewandowski
Köln: Horn - Sörensen, Maroh, Heintz, Hector - Risse, Lehmann, Vogt, Gerhardt (Svento 75’) - Zoller (Hosiner 71’), Modeste (Osako 58’)