Bayern end the year with a three-point gap on top / Image via insidespanishfootball.com
It was too easy for Bayern Munich, who ended up teaching the newcomers a lesson and showing them what Bundesliga is all about with a gripping 3-0 victory at the Allianz Arena.
Read our in-depth match report:
Form Guide & Team News
The hosts headed into the final match of the first part of the Bundesliga season level on points with the unlikely high-fliers – newly promoted side RB Leipzig, a club which ran through the lower tiers of the German football and took the world by storm in their first-ever Bundesliga appearance.
Founded in 2009, Red Bull Leipzig have used all of the backing from their wealthy owners to succeed and surprise their more prominent rivals as they stood equal with the great Bayern Munich.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men went through the ups and downs thus far in the campaign and Wednesday’s match turned out to be a perfect opportunity to send a strong message of intent.
The hosts were without Jerome Boateng and Kingsley Coman, whereas the visiting team had to deal without Compper, Klostermann and Papadopoulos.
First Half
Bayern Munich fans did not expect to see such a slow start to the game and were biting their nails in anticipation and fear in the opening stages of the game as RB Leipzig put up a fight to prove they are rightfully at the top of the standings.
Four minutes into the match and Red Bulls got a huge chance to open the scoring when the ball bounced for Werner to latch on it and send it to Poulsen who was just short of turning it in.
It was a wake-up call for Bayern Munich who needed more than ten minutes in the match to try and break the deadlock.
Douglas Costa fired forward past the two RB Leipzig defenders and drilled the ball in the middle, with a shot that was too hot for Gulaschi to hold. Robben and Lewandowski almost got the ball, but Halstenberg made a vital clearance.
Seventeen minutes after the kick off Bayern got their much-needed break.
Lahm and Robben combined down the right and got in behind the defence to send the ball to Lewandowski, who struck the post with the ball bouncing to Thiago, who found it ewasy yo bundle it home.
It was the impetus Bayern needed and eight minutes later they doubled the lead.
RB Leipzig struggled to get the ball forward and Arturo Vidal’s interception was vital to spark the attack for Bayern. Lewandowski pounced on a loose pass to find Thiago, who then sent the ball to Alonso on the right side of the area for top-bottom finish from the midfielder.
A crucial moment occurred at the half-hour mark when RB Leipzig lost a man on the field.
Bayern broke into a counter through Lahm, but the captain was viciously attacked from the back by Forsberg, who struck into Lahm’s Achilles tendon. His foul sparked an angry reaction from Bayern players, whereas the referee did not hesitate to red card the Leipzig man.
Thing went from bad to worse for the visitors who conceded the third goal just before the break.
RB Leipzig goalkeeper Gulasci made a contact with Costa in the box and could consider himself lucky to stay on the pitch. Lewandowski stepped up to the spot kick sending the keeper the wrong way to make it huge 3-0 at half time.
Second Half
The visiting side made bleak attempts to get back in the game and, in all fairness, should be complimented for their efforts to attack, but the things hardly changed in the second 45 minutes for RB Leipzig.
On the other hand, Bayern Munich refused to slow down the tempo of the match and continued to press and attack with the first chance after the break coming in 52nd minute.Costa played Lewandowski with a ball that sent the Pole clean through on goal, but Gulasci stood big and saved his goal.
The Bayern striker had another great chance five minutes after the hour mark, when he got just a bit too close to the RB Leipzig goalkeeper after a lovely one-two with Ribery.
We pretty much witnessed a one-sided affair in the second time with Bayern lining up chances one after the other.
Douglas Costa showed a great display tonight as he danced on the pitch to create chances for his players and have a go at the goal himself, but RB Leipzig resisted the strong advances from the hosts.
Bayern got agonisingly close to scoring the fourth just minutes from time with Ribery skipping past his marker on the left to drill a powerful shot inside the area to beat Gulasci and crash the ball against the underside of the bar before it bounced down on the line and out of goal.
It was an eventful second half of the game which was solved in the first half already by Bayern Munich who earned the vital three points to open a three-point gap ahead of the winter break.
It can hardly get better than this.
Statistical Overview
- Bayern dominated possession with 71% to Leipzig’s 29%
- Bavarians made 24 goal attempts to Red Bulls’ 5
- The total of 11 Bayern’s shots were on target
- RB goalkeeper Gulasci made 8 direct saves against Bayern Munich
- Ancelotti’s men are on a six-match winning streak
BAYERN MUNICH: Neuer 6.5 – Lahm 7, Martinez 7, Hummels 7.5, Alaba 7 (Bernat 7) – Vidal 7.5 (Kimmich 6.5), Alonso 7.5 – Robben 7 (Ribery 7), Alcantara 7.5, Costa 7.5 – Lewandowski 6.5
Unused subs: Rafinha, Muller, Sanches, Ulreich
RB LEIPZIG: Gulasci 7.5 – Bernardo 6, Ilsanker 6, Orban 6.5, Halstenberg 6 – Sabitzer 6 (Burke), Keita 6.5 (Kaiser 6), Demme 6, Forsberg 5 – Poulsen 6, Werner 6 (Selke 6)
Unused subs: Kalmar, Khedira, Muller, Schmitz
REFEREE: Felix Zwayer
Other results this evening
FC Koln 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Hertha Berlin 2-0 Darmstadt
Hoffenheim 1-1 Werder Bremen
Ingolstadt 1-2 SC Freiburg
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