Wagner strikes in win over Al-Ahli

First game, first goal for Sandro Wagner as he celebrated his return to FC Bayern. The striker opened the scoring in the 38th minute in a 6-0 friendly victory over Qatari side Al-Ahli in Doha. Further second-half goals came from Corentin Tolisso, Arjen Robben, Kingsley Coman, Niklas Dorsch and Niklas Süle.

Jupp Heynckes used two different teams in each half of this friendly – the first of two for FCB ahead of the resumption of Bundesliga action. Only Tolisso completed the 90 minutes, playing in the unaccustomed centre-forward position in the second half. The only players not to feature were Robert Lewandowski and Mats Hummels (recovering from injuries) and Joshua Kimmich (ill).

Heading against the woodwork

Bayern quickly created chances against the team sitting sixth in the Qatar Stars League. Wagner in particular was the focal point and in fact powered a header against the frame of the goal within the first minute. He was then foiled on three occasions by Al-Ahli goalkeeper Yazan Naim. An effort from James Rodriguez was also cleared off the line with 15 minutes on the clock.

Wagner finally broke through after a dozen FCB efforts when he headed past Naim on 38 minutes. There were further chances for James and Thomas Müller to extend the lead before the break but it remained a one-goal difference at half-time. Sven Ulreich was called into action in the Bayern goal with the score still at 0-0 as he denied both Yassine Chikhaoui and Ali Qadri on the counter.

Raining goals after the break

Bayern didn’t have to wait long to celebrate in the second half as Tolisso doubled the lead with yet another header seven minutes after the restart. The Reds then turned the screw with a well-placed effort from outside the box by Robben, a volley from Coman and a rifled effort from Dorsch.

Al-Ahli, who once had former FCB coach Pep Guardiola as a player between 2003 and 2005, had goalkeeper Naim to thank for preventing further Bayern goals by denying Tolisso and Coman on numerous occasions. Robben, Dorsch and Tolisso again also had efforts that failed to test the ‘keeper. A header from Süle at a corner did round off the game in the dying minutes to make it 6-0 to the German champions in their only match at their training camp in Doha.