Bayern crush Plzen to continue perfect start

Last updated on .From the section European Football

Bayern Munich continued their perfect start to Champions League Group C with a routine win over Czech side Viktoria Plzen.

Sane made it four just after half-time before Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting completed the rout.

The win leaves Bayern with the maximum nine points from their opening games.

Their preparations for this game were disrupted when Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Muller were ruled out with Covid, and Bayern had just five outfield players on the bench.

However any nerves were settled after just seven minutes by a superb goal from Sane.

The winger started the move from the centre circle, playing a one-two with Jamal Musiala before driving to the edge of the area and firing the ball into the roof of the net.

Six minutes later, Bayern caught Plzen on the counter attack with Goretzka carrying the ball through the centre of midfield before laying off to Gnabry who slotted home off the inside of the post.

Any slight doubts about the outcome were settled on 21 minutes. Mane got a fortunate deflection off a defender in the build-up, however it was his pace and anticipation which saw him race onto the loose ball before scoring at the near post.

Musiala then had a goal ruled out for offside, but it was soon 4-0 just after the break when Sane raced onto a lofted through ball from Mane, controlled it with the outside of his left foot and struck it past Plzen goalkeeper Marian Tvrdon.

The strike took Sane's goal tally to four in three Champions League fixtures.

Before the hour it was five for Bayern, Goretzka again the provider from midfield with a through ball that Choupo-Moting, newly on as a substitute, curled in via the post from 15 yards.

Bayern continue to underwhelm domestically - Julian Nagelsmann's side sit third in the Bundesliga, behind surprise pacemakers Union Berlin and Freiburg.

However in Europe, from what looked a difficult group also featuring Barcelona and Inter Milan, they are living up to their billing as one of the tournament favourites.