On-fire Bayern see off Union to return to summit

FC Bayern beat Union Berlin 3-0 on Sunday to reclaim top spot in the Bundesliga table. The 75,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw Bayern dominate throughout, and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, Kingsley Coman and Jamal Musiala handed them a comfortable three-goal lead in the first half. With no more goals to come, Bayern sealed a crucial win over direct rivals.

The German record champions started with Yann Sommer in goal and Josip Stanišić, Benjamin Pavard, Matthijs de Ligt and Alphonso Davies in defence. Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich anchored a midfield featuring Thomas Müller, Musiala and Coman, with Choupo-Moting up front. Serge Gnabry, the returning Sadio Mané, Leroy Sané, João Cancelo and Mathys Tel came on for Choupo-Moting, Coman, Kimmich and Stanišić and Müller in the second half.

Dominance display

It was all Bayern in the early stages, and Davies soon shone with a fine pass to Choupo-Moting, who rounded keeper Frederik Rönnow before squaring to Müller, whose first touch let him down. Musiala fired wide from distance before Jérôme Roussillon tested Sommer for the only time in the game. Musiala also saw a shot saved and another one blocked.

Rönnow denied Müller but a goal was coming and duly arrived when Choupo-Moting rose high to meet Coman's fine cross and headed back across goal. Aïssa Laïdouni blasted over but Müller soon teed up the charging Coman, who rounded Rönnow and slotted home from a tight angle. Union were reeling now, and Müller's cutback invited Musiala to tap in with the half-time whistle imminent, marking his 20th birthday in style.

Plain sailing

Proceedings were similar after half-time, and Rönnow denied Davies before Musiala fired off yet another shot. Sheraldo Becker saw an effort deflected behind, and Munich eased off a little as both coaches made a string of changes, which include Mané's return to action after three months out.

Bayern upped the ante again with 20 minutes to go and chances came and went for Müller, Gnabry and Goretzka. Paul Seguin saw a shot blocked after Munich gifted away possession before Rönnow made a fine save to deny Davies again, and the match petered out as Bayern sealed a crucial victory.

The result takes Bayern onto 46 points from 22 matches, level on points with Dortmund but ahead thanks to a vastly superior goal difference. They will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to face Stuttgart.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen