Five-star Bayern down Stuttgart

FC Bayern beat VfB Stuttgart 5-0 on Saturday to consolidate their lead in the Bundesliga. Konrad Laimer put Bayern ahead early in the first half, with substtiute Harry Kane bagging a hat-trick and Josip Stanišić also finding the net off the bench in the second half.

Munich lined up with Jonas Urbig in goal and Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Minjae Kim and Tom Bischof in defence. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka anchored a midfield featuring Michael Olise, Raphaël Guerreiro and Luis Díaz, with Nicolas Jackson up front. Stanišić took over from Bischof at half-time and Aleksandar Pavlović, Lennart Karl, Kane and Hiroki Ito came on for Goretzka, Guerreiro, Jackson and Upamecano in the second half.

Laimer opens in style

Bayern got off to the better start and Jackson soon won the ball in Stuttgart’s half and hit the side-netting from a tight angle. Munich took the lead when Laimer got hold of Urbig’s long ball and laid the ball off to Olise, who squared back for the Austrian to beat goalkeeper Alexander Nübel with a back-heel. Stuttgart got a grip after the goal and the contest was balanced, with Nikolas Nartey hitting the side-netting.

There were plenty of half chances on both sides before Nübel only just saved from Olise. Stuttgart had the ball in the back of the net when Nartey headed in from Bilal El Khannouss’ free kick, but the goal was chalked off for offside after a long VAR check. Deniz Undav’s free-kick went over before Nübel denied Jackson and Chema Andrés fired just wide.

Hat-trick for Kane

Clear-cut chances were at a premium after the restart. Olise fired over and Urbig denied Undav, but Bayern upped the ante after the hour mark. Díaz fired wide from close range before Kane unleashed a powerful drive from distance into the bottom corner of the net. Kane saw another effort saved, but Stanišić put the game to bed when he beat Nübel.

Munich were soon awarded a penalty when Lorenz Assignon blocked Olise’s shot on the line with his hand, with the Stuttgart defender shown a straight red and Kane converting the ensuing penalty. Kane rounded off his hat-trick when he found the net from Olise’s cross as Bayern sealed a clear-cut victory.

The result means Bayern top the table on 37 points from 13 matches. The Bavarians will be back in action on Tuesday, when they entertain Sporting in the Champions League.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen