Musiala the late hero as Bayern labour past Benfica in Champions League
Bayern came into this match unbeaten from 12 previous meetings with Benfica, the most times any team has faced another in European competition without losing.
A significant 75% portion of possession for the hosts in the opening 30 minutes suggested this renewal would be no different. However, neither side managed a shot of any kind until a wayward Konrad Laimer effort on the half-hour mark, implying that Bayern wouldn’t have it all their own way.
That did, at least, give Die Roten the belief that they could break down Bruno Lage’s compact defence. In turn, Harry Kane saw two efforts on goal clutched by Anatoliy Trubin soon after Laimer’s miscue, before a scramble ensued in the Benfica box following a corner, which saw the visiting goalkeeper deny both Kane and Serge Gnabry in quick succession.
A curling free-kick into the arms of Trubin from Michael Olise and a Kane strike veering narrowly wide proved that FCB were still on top after the break. Yet, they rarely resembled the side that scored 12 times in the three matches since their defeat to Barcelona on the previous UCL matchday.
Just before the hour mark, Vincent Kompany rang the changes and threw on Leroy Sane, and he twice came close to making the ideal impact, but was twice denied by the outstretched fingertips of Trubin.
However, the substitute was not to be denied a role in the opening goal as the match entered its final quarter. A deep Sané cross was headed back across goal by Kane to the awaiting Jamal Musiala, who nodded the ball past Trubin.
Benfica had won eight of the previous 14 UCL away matches before tonight, but they rarely troubled the Bayern half of the pitch after going a goal down, as the hosts comfortably saw out a seventh consecutive win over Portuguese sides. Benfica, meanwhile, have now tasted victory on German soil just twice in 28 attempts.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich)
