Bayern come from behind to beat Sporting

FC Bayern beat Sporting 3-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday to take a big step towards a top-eight finish. The visitors took the lead when Joshua Kimmich put through his own goal after half-time, but Serge Gnabry soon levelled the scores and Munich claimed a deserved victory thanks to further goals by Lennart Karl and Jonathan Tah.

Bayern lined up with Manuel Neuer in goal and Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Tah and Josip Stanišić in defence. Aleksandar Pavlović and Kimmich anchored a midfield featuring Michael Olise, Karl and Gnabry, with Harry Kane up front. Raphaël Guerreiro, Hiroki Ito, Leon Goretzka, comeback kid Alphonso Davies and Nicolas Jackson took over from Karl, Stanišić, Pavlović, Gnabry and Kane late in the second half.

Goalless first half

The pattern of the game was soon established with Bayern in control and Sporting sitting deep. Kane fired over from distance before Gnabry’s cutback invited Karl to curl home, but the flag was up for Gnabry’s offside position. Karl mishit a volley and Gnabry fired wide after a fine run.

Munich were dominant, but stray passing often spoiled promising moves. Gnabry saw another effort saved before Neuer made a strong reflex stop to keep out a failed Tah clearance. Kane sidestepped a number of defenders only to hit the post, with Stanišić heading wide. Karl soon wriggled his way through the box, but Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva proved equal to his effort.

Bayern turn things around

Alisson Santos put a shot wide after the restart, but Kimmich soon tried to clear from João Simões’ low cross and put through his own goal. Silva denied Karl and Kimmich before an Olise corner found the unmarked Gnabry, who headed in to level the scores.

Munich took the lead when Karl shone with a fine first touch and smashed home on the spin. Upamecano saw a header saved before Kimmich’s pinpoint cross found Gnabry, who nodded down for Tah to make it three for Bayern. Gnabry miscued and Upamecano blocked a Luis Suárez effort at the other end as Bayern sealed another three points.

The victory takes Bayern onto 15 points from six matches, level with leaders Arsenal, who play on Wednesday. The Bavarians will be back in action on Sunday when they entertain Mainz in the Bundesliga.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen