Despite Franck Ribery’s first-half sending off, Bayern sealed the so-called autumn championship for the team top of the Bundesliga at the halfway mark in the season with a comfortable victory over negative Köln, finally beating their bogey opponents for the first time in six meetings between the clubs. Mario Gomez, David Alaba and Toni Kroos scored the second-half goals to wrap up a fully merited 12th league victory for Jupp Heynckes’ men.
The 69,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw the home side boss the match and create chances in a lively start against the deep-lying visitors, but the complexion of the match changed just after the half-hour when Ribery received his marching orders after an altercation with Portuguese defender Henrique Sereno.
Despite going a man down, Bayern still kept up the pressure and were rewarded when Gomez slotted home three minutes after the restart. Sub Alaba made it two on the hour against the increasingly porous visiting defence, Kroos rounding off the scoring at the end of what became a very one-sided excounter.
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