There was to be no sleepy emergence from the winter break for Bayern Munich as they swept aside Hoffenheim 3-0 in the Bundesliga to keep the pressure on Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen. Jamal Musiala (2) and Harry Kane got the goals as Thomas Tuchel’s team secured their victory on home soil. The visitors’ night was marred when Grischa Promel was sent off in the second half.
Jamal Musiala was the star for Bayern Munich, as they beat Hoffenheim 3-0 on the night that German football paid tribute to the late, great Franz Beckenbauer.
The visitors made a bright start, although Maximilian Beier and Andrej Kramaric fired off target, before Thomas Tuchel’s side took the lead when Musiala fired home via the far post.
That was one of few clear cut chances for Bayern before the break, but they turned on the style after it, with Musiala again hitting the post and Oliver Baumann making a superb save from Konrad Laimer.
At the other end, Manuel Neuer made a pair of magnificent saves from Beier and Kramaric, before the former hit the bar from close range. The hosts made their opponents pay for those missed chances as Musiala doubled the lead shortly afterwards, before Hoffenheim had Grischa Promel sent off, receiving his second yellow card for a bad tackle on Mathys Tel.
Harry Kane then finally got his goal, his 22nd in just 16 Bundesliga appearances, when converting from inside the box late on.
TALKING POINT – BAYERN PAY TRIBUTE TO A DEPARTED GREAT
This was a night more important than the bare result for Bayern Munich, who were playing their first match since Franz Beckenbauer died earlier this week.
Such an occasion can take its toll on a team, and the atmosphere inside the Allianz Arena was certainly a bit flat following a myriad of tributes to the two-time World Cup winner, which included a minute’s silence and both teams wearing black armbands.
Eventually, the hosts rose to the occasion, as they simply had to do. Any nerves were dispelled by the opening goal, and from there, despite the Hoffenheim chances after the break, there was only ever likely to be one winner.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – JAMAL MUSIALA (BAYERN MUNICH)
This could quite easily have been Manuel Neuer, such was the importance of the two saves he made at 1-0 in the second half.
However, it’s impossible to ignore the impact 20-year old Jamal Musiala had on the match, netting either side of half-time.
The first was a wonderfully clinical finish, the second rounding off a lovely move, but his involvement was far much more than that, regularly driving Bayern forward on a night when his team-mates were far from their best.
PLAYER RATINGS
BAYERN MUNICH: Neuer 8; Laimer 6, Upamecano 7, de Ligt 6, Davies 7; Sane 7, Kimmich 7, Muller 8, Guerreiro 6, Musiala 8; Kane 7. Subs: Coman 6, Tel 6, Goretzka n/a, Pavlovic n/a, Choupo-Moting n/a
HOFFENHEIM: Baumann 5; Nsoki 7, Kabak 6, Stach 6; Kaderabak 6, Promel 4, Grillitsch 6, Butler 6, Kramaric 6; Beier 7, Weghorst 4. Subs: Bebou n/a, Skov n/a, Tohumcu n/a, Becker n/a
