Bayern Munich 4-1 VFB Stuttgart
FC Bayern put on a show in the second half at the Allianz Arena, scoring three goals to blow away a spirited Stuttgart side.
After a first half stalemate, unlucky Christian Gentner put Bayern ahead with an own goal and the hosts were ruthless, Robert Lewandowski rounding off a convincing victory. Borussia Dortmund had already put down a challenge with a thumping 5-1 win over Hannover 96, leaving FC Bayern nine points behind at the top of the Bundesliga.
Niko Kovac doesn’t want to be the first Bayern coach to give up the league title in seven years, but the Bundesliga 2019 betting odds have that fate right in the balance. With six points still to make up it’s going to be a roller coaster ride.
Highlights of the game
It was all going nicely to plan for the champions when they went ahead as early as the fifth minute. Robert Lewandowski found Thiago Alacantara in space in the penalty area and the midfield man slotted the ball into the bottom corner, leaving VFB keeper Ron-Robert Zieler stranded. It all looked a little too easy and the home fans expected more pretty soon.
But Die Roten, embroiled in a relegation scrap were ready to do just that, and they almost fought back immediately when Andreas Beck crossed for Nicolas Gonzalez but his header flew narrowly wide of Manuel Neuer’s right hand post. Bayern pressed forward and Thomas Muller passed to Joshua Kimmich and his effort went close, then, as play swung from end to end Alexander Esswein had a shot blocked by the Bayern defence.
Lewandowski tried to create something for Leon Goretzka but his close range effort was blocked and then the industrious Gonzalez came close again with a shot which missed narrowly on the left. Mario Gomez has struggled for Stuttgart this season, often a lone figure up front and has only managed five goals; and he started on the bench, Markus Weinzierl preferring to play Anastasios Donis up front and the Greek international stunned the 75,000 crowd on 26 minutes, and it was a cracker!
Christian Gentner passed to Donis, outside the penalty area; there didn’t seem to be any danger but he unleashed a beauty into the top right corner beyond the despairing reach of Neuer to make it 1-1. That’s one to catch on the Bundesliga 2019 highlights this week.
Bayern tried to fight back and Thiago had a shot saved before David Alaba did well to tee up Kingsley Coman, but his shot was brilliantly saved by Zieler to keep the scores level at the break.
That wasn’t in the script.
Stuttgart looked like they thought they could leave Bavaria with something as they started the second half brightly, Steven Zuber taking a pass from Gonzalez and having his shot blocked. But Bayern was ahead again on 55 minutes and it was a cruel blow and a nightmare for the player who teed up Stuttgart’s equaliser. Christian Gentner put through his own net to make it 2-1 and another mountain for the visitors to climb.
And it looked like VFB was finished when Marc-Oliver Kempf tripped Lewandowski in the box, but the Polish hit man climbed to his feet and hit the spot-kick against the post. Lewandowski was Bundesliga top scorer for the third time last season, but he has work to do to keep that title and that won’t have pleased him one bit!
He tried to make amends on 67 minutes, but when David Alaba crossed to him on the edge of the six yard box his shot flew agonisingly wide. But it was game over just five minutes later when Leon Goretzka reached a Joshua Kimmich corner to plant his header past Zieler and into the net.
And Lewandowski finally got his goal when Kimmich found him and he slammed his shot from a tight angle high into the roof of the net.
Key statistics
The hosts dominated the ball in the first half with over 70 per cent possession, but Stuttgart held firm and offered their own threat with five shots to Bayern’s seven and two to three on target. So Kovac couldn’t complain at the half-time stalemate.
But it was all one way traffic in the second half as FC Bayern rained shots down at the VFB goal, ending up with 19 to seven and six to two on target.
What’s next?
Bayern has won six Bundesligas on the bounce and they are determined to chase BVB all the way in their pursuit of a seventh. The Bavarian giants are trying to strengthen with the signing of Chelsea’s attacking midfielder Callum Hudson-Odoi, with their target recently handing in a transfer request.
Back on the pitch it’s a visit to Bayer Leverkusen next week, so keep up with the SBOBET odds as we look forward to a fascinating clash
Stuttgart is right in the thick of a relegation battle and a home game against Freiburg followed by a visit to Fortuna Dusseldorf could make or break their season. Both opponents are hovering a few points above the drop zone but could be within reach.
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