Dominant Reds ease past Schalke

FC Bayern beat Schalke 2-0 on Saturday evening, getting off to a successful start to the Oktoberfest period and retaining top spot in the Bundesliga. James put Bayern in front after seven minutes, Robert Lewandowski converting a penalty after the hour.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Joshua Kimmich, Niklas Süle, Mats Hummels and David Alaba in a back four. Thiago anchored a midfield featuring James, Thomas Müller, Leon Goretzka and Franck Ribéry, with Lewandowski acting as sole striker. Sandro Wagner, Serge Gnabry and Renato Sanches came on for Lewandowski, Ribéry and James in the closing stages.

James opens

The 62,271 full house at the Veltins Arena saw Bayern signal their intent from the off. Müller fired over the bar before Goretzka only just failed to connect to a James cross. The German record champions took an early lead when James headed home a Kimmich corner. Schalke got a grip on the contest after the opener, putting an end to the one-way traffic, but Neuer comfortably saved from Franco di Santo.

Schalke netminder Ralf Fährmann made a strong save to deny an Alaba effort from distance. Bayern's Austrian full-back soon fired another 30-yarder, but his free-kick shaved the crossbar. Hummels miscued a header before Ribéry tested Fährmann, and match official Daniel Siebert blew for half-time.

Lewy from the spot

Proceedings were similar after the interval. Ribéry's pinpoint pass invited James to double the lead and bag a brace, but the Colombian somehow fired wide from point-blank range. Ex-Bayern man Sebastian Rudy connected to an Embolo cross at the other end but his header went wide.

Alessandro Schöpf upended James in the box, Siebert pointing to the spot. Up stepped Lewandowski, who crashed home into the low corner of the net. Fährmann proved equal to a Goretzka effort before making a strong save to deny another Alaba free-kick from distance. The Reds shifted down a gear now but still threatened in spurts, and Siebert brought an end to Bayern's seventh victory in seven competitive matches this season.

The win means Bayern have 12 points from four matches, two clear of Hertha Berlin. The Bavarians are back in action on Tuesday, when they entertain Augsburg before travelling to face Hertha Berlin next Friday.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen