Kovac: Bayern ´dominated´ Schalke in 2-0 win

Niko Kovac felt his Bayern Munich side “dominated” Schalke as the reigning Bundesliga champions beat last year’s runners-up 2-0 to maintain their perfect start.

Bayern made it four wins from four in the league under Kovac, while consigning Schalke to a fourth successive defeat, thanks to James Rodriguez’s first-half header and Robert Lewandowski’s penalty.

Kovac’s side have not conceded in either of their two away games in the Bundesliga, while they also kept a clean sheet at Benfica in a 2-0 Champions League victory on Wednesday, and the Bayern boss hailed his team’s all-round display at the Veltins-Arena.

“We saw a very, very good Bundesliga match today,” Kovac told Bayern’s official website.

“My team were dominant over 90 minutes, they were in control and created many chances. Unfortunately they scored too few goals.

“[It was] a great performance. I have to praise the whole team today, what we did up front but also in defence, without the ball. We regained possession quickly when we lost it up front.”

100% in all competitions pic.twitter.com/CkxX5WAm7D

— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) September 22, 2018

Leon Goretzka was playing against his old club and admitted the margin of Bayern’s victory could have greater.

“We got off to a superb start, we had many chances from the off, maybe we could have extended our lead earlier if the final ball had been a little better,” he conceded.

“Schalke did a good job then, they press incredibly well, our organisation was a bit bad in the second part of the first half. But I think at the end of the day it was a deserved win.”

Having headed in Joshua Kimmich’s near-post corner to set Bayern on their way to the win, James then won the penalty that Lewandowski converted after being tripped by Alessandro Schopf.

Speaking after the game, the Colombian called on his side to maintain their form.

“I think we had a good game,” he added on the Bundesliga’s website. 

“We have to carry on in this good fashion, and the best thing is we’ve got three points at a tough ground.”