Champions League: Leroy Sane grabs brace as Bayern Munich hammer Viktoria Plzen to maintain perfect record

Leroy Sane netted twice as Bayern smashed Viktoria Plzen at the Allianz Arena to consolidate their control of Champions League Group C.

Sane opened the scoring after seven minutes, exchanging passes with Jamal Musiala before dribbling to the edge of the penalty area and launching an unstoppable rocket.
Serge Gnabry made it two before the quarter-hour mark when he coolly finished after Leon Goretzka had played him through.

Midway though the half it was three when Sadio Mane found his way through the opposing defence before driving home.

The goal of the game came five minutes into the second half when Mane found Sane with a diagonal ball from the left flank and the former Manchester City man took it down perfectly before slamming home for his fourth in the competition this year.

Substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting made it five before an hour was on the clock when he latched onto another Goretzka assist.

With nine points from three games, Bayern seem likely to all but seal their path through to the knockout stages when they play the same opposition next week.

TALKING POINT

And you thought Bayern were dominant in Bundesliga? Though their record of ten straight titles is pretty unparalleled in a major European league, there will be those in England and Italy who will sneer about this being a reflection of the rest of the Bundesliga – though equally, Premier League viewers will now be pondering how it was not possible for Borussia Dortmund to win a league with Erling Haaland. Bayern’s recent Champions League group stage record is almost as remarkable as their domestic one – and they weren’t that sloppy before, given they have not gone out in the group stages since 2002-03. But after starting this season with nine points from the first three games (in this year’s supposed group of death with Barcelona and Inter Milan), they have now won 20 games out of 21 in the last four campaigns with the one ‘blemish’ being a draw at Atletico Madrid. They will almost certainly extend this when they play the reverse fixture in Bohemia. Granted you would rather have Real Madrid’s knockout record, but it is remarkable nonetheless.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich) – It is hard not to give the award to Leroy Sane with his two fantastic goals putting him as the Champions League’s leading scorer (at least temporarily) but, restored to the left-hand side of the field, Mane looked like the player Bayern thought they were signing from Liverpool. He toyed with his opponents whether coming deep or running behind, but also provided flicks around the box to find team-mates, and his through-balls to his left-footed teammate on the right flank were reminiscent of the partnership he had with Mohamed Salah at Liverpool.

PLAYER RATINGS

Bayern: Neuer 6; Mazraoui 6, Upamecano 7, De Ligt 7, Davies 7; Goretzka 7, Gravenberch 7, Sane 8, Musiala 7, Mane 9, Gnabry 7.
Subs: Choupo-Moting 7, Stanisic 7, Tel 6, Pavard 6, Sabitzer 7.

Viktoria Plzen: Tvrdon 5; Holik 6, Hejda 5, Pernica 5, Havel 5; Kalvach 5, N’Diaye 6; Kopic 5, Mosquera 6, Vlkanova 5, Chory 5.
Subs: Jemelka 5, Jirka 6, Basey 6, Tijani 6, Pilar n/a.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

7′ GOAL FOR BAYERN! And a magnificent one. Sane played a one-two with Musiala then drove across the field 25 yards from goal before unleashing a laser into the top corner.

13′ GOAL FOR BAYERN! Gnabry makes it two, slotting home coolly after Goretzka played a very Muller-like ball into his path in the area.

21′ GOAL FOR BAYERN! Mane joins the party. This could be a cricket score. Lovely skill brought Mane to the edge of the area and then a deflection put him through on goal. He made no mistake, stroking into the near post with his left foot.

50′ GOAL FOR BAYERN! It’s just too easy. Mane is the creator spotting Sane’s run through the middle and he takes the ball down brilliantly with the outside of his left boot before blasting home.

59′ GOAL FOR BAYERN! Fine ball from Mane into Goretzka and he calmly played in Choupo-Moting who controlled and then netted with ease.