Robert Lewandowski brace as Bayern Munich beat Al Ahly to reach FIFA Club World Cup final
Robert Lewandowski scored a brace in a 2-0 win over Al-Ahly in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals, bringing Bayern Munich a step closer to a historic sextuple ahead of Thursday's final.
Bayern settled into their stride quickly and had their first clear opening of the match in the eighth minute when Serge Gnabry’s late run into the box was picked out by Benjamin Pavard, but he could only head over the bar. Thomas Müller had the next chance on the quarter-hour mark, but he directed his free header straight at Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy. Lewandowski showed his teammates how it was done a short while later though, calmly collecting Gnabry’s pull-back before slotting in from eight yards out. It was the least Bayern deserved for their relentless pressure, and they could have had more before the interval, with Marc Roca dragging an effort wide before seeing another saved, before Lewandowski was uncharacteristically wasteful when one-on-one with El Shenawy, his chip going over the goalkeeper but also over the crossbar.
Manuel Neuer had largely been a spectator in the first half, but he was more involved after the interval as the Egyptian side reemerged from the break with renewed purpose. Yet while they got forward well on a number of occasions and looked more secure at the back, they never managed to carve out a clear-cut opportunity to level the score. Bayern struggled to recapture their earlier superiority and flowing football, and were largely reduced to long-distance shots from David Alaba and substitute Leroy Sane, before Lewandowski put the outcome of the game beyond all doubt in the 86th minute. Sane did superbly to chase down a pass that appeared to have sent him too far wide, but he dug out a lofted cross from the byline that floated over El Shenawy and left Lewandowski with a simple header – his 29th goal of the season in 27 games – to book Bayern’s place in Thursday’s final against Mexican side Tigres.
Match stats
Just last month, Lewandowski became only the fourth active player to reach 500 career goals, after Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He has scored 275 of them for Bayern.
Bayern are playing in their second Club World Cup. The tournament did not take place in the year they won the 2000/01 Champions League.
Alaba, Jerome Boateng, Javi Martinez, Müller and Neuer are the five surviving members of Bayern's 2013 Club World Cup winners.
Canada's Davies was only 13 at the time, but made his pro debut two years later, for Vancouver Whitecaps. He, like the majority of the Bayern squad, is a Club World Cup debutant.
Müller is Bayern's second best scorer this season after Lewandowski, with 11 competitive goals. He is also second for assists, albeit only one behind Joshua Kimmich's 13.
Flick can become the first German coach to win the Club World Cup.
Line-ups
Al Ahly: El Shenawy (c) - Hany, Benoun, Ayman, Maâloul (Ibrahim 28') - Fathy, El Soulia (Dieng 70') - El Shahaat (S. Mohsen 69'), Afsha, Kahraba (Bwalya 69') - Taher (Sherif 83') Unused subs: Lotfy, Ramadan Beckham, Ajayi, Tawfik, Samir, M. Mohsen, Shobeir Out: Ajayi (ankle), Mahmoud (knee), Metwaly (knee), Nedved (knee) Coach: Pitso Mosimane
FIFA Club World Cup FIFA Club World Cup, semi-finals FIFA Club World Cup, semi-finals Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar
BAYERN BOOK THEIR PLACE IN THE FINAL
Lewandowski's 28th and 29th goals of the season gave Bayern a deserved victory. They were by far the better side in the first half, but Al Ahly improved a great deal after the break and posed a few more problems, albeit without ever seriously testing Neuer. Bayern will now look ahead to Thursday's final against Mexican side Tigres.
We're entering into stoppage time now. Both teams know the match is over, with Bayern content to run the clock down by keeping possession in midfield.
86'
LEWANDOWSKI SEALS IT!
Superb stuff from Sane, who chases down a long ball on the right. There doesn't look like there's much on for the winger, who's forced wide and under pressure from a defender, but he floats a cross from the byline over the goalkeeper, leaving Lewandowski a simple header from close range.
Al Ahly make their last change, bringing on Sherif for Taher.
83'
SANE'S SHOT BLOCKED
Sane goes for goal from the free-kick but strikes it straight into the wall. The rebound falls at the feet of Alaba, who tries another long-range effort, but this one is also blocked.
81'
DANGEROUS POSITION
Sane is sandwiched by three Al Ahly players 10 yards outside their penalty area, winning a free-kick for Bayern in a promising position in a central area...
78'
TWO MORE CHANGES FOR BAYERN
Musiala comes on for Bayern, with Coman making way, while Süle replaces Boateng.
Alaba lines up a shot from about 35 yards out. He catches it well but its off target and bobbles wide.
FLICK AGITATED
The Bayern coach is on the edge of his technical area, cajoling his players and giving them instructions. While they've looked pretty comfortable at the back and have repelled everything so far, Al Ahly are by no means out of this. Another goal now would go a long way to calm any nerves.
Davies dribbles forward and slips a ball out to his left to Coman. He turns his marker inside out before getting to the byline and standing up a cross into the middle, looking for Lewandowski, but El Shenawy reads the danger and plucks it from the air.
64'
DOUBLE SUB FOR BAYERN
Flick reacts to Al Ahly's improvement in this half by shaking things up in attack, with Sane and Choupo-Moting coming on in place of Gnabry and Müller.
Kimmich with another corner, this time from the left. Lewandowski flicks it on at the front post and Müller is arriving at the back post, but he just can't quite get enough on the ball to knock it in.
57'
MÜLLER GOES CLOSE
Kimmich curls in a corner from the right and Müller wins it in the middle. It's a good effort as he's under pressure, but El Shenawy tips it over.
55'
ANOTHER GOOD BREAK
The Egyptians have been much improved in this half and they get forward well again on the counter. However, once again they're let down by their final ball and Boateng steps in to clear.
52'
NOT GOING FOR MÜLLER
Davies launches a counter, surging into the middle of the park before playing it forward to Lewandowski. He draws a couple of defenders towards him before passing out wide to Müller on the right. He cuts inside, just in the box now, but instead of shooting he attempts a cross to the back post that is easily cut out. Kimmich recycles possession and chips it out to Müller again just seconds later, but again his delivery is disappointing and the chance goes begging.
50'
POSITIVE FROM EL SHAHAAT
The attacker feigns past Kimmich on the right and then cuts past Roca too. He goes for the shot, but it's blocked before Neuer needs to intervene.
48'
EASY FOR NEUER
A nice start from Al Ahly as they get forward quickly. Afsha delivers a ball into the box from the left, but it's a simple one for Neuer to collect unchallenged.
46'
UNDERWAY AGAIN
Al Ahly get the ball rolling in the second half. No changes from either side during the interval.
Kick-off!
BAYERN DESERVEDLY AHEAD
Lewandowski's goal is the difference between the sides at the interval, but the gulf in class has been very clear to see so far. Bayern have been utterly dominant and could have had a couple more goals, with presentable openings for Roca, Gnabry and Lewandowski. They'll surely want to put the game to bed as soon as possible in the second half.
Kimmich fizzes a low free-kick from the right into the box that goes behind the defence. El Shenawy dives out to clear and gets something on it, but the ball falls inside the box. There's no Bayern player nearby to get the rebound though, and Al Ahly hook it clear.
40'
WIDE FROM DAVIES
A cross into the box doesn't come down quick enough for Lewandowski or Kimmich to get a shot away. It's only half cleared to Davies, who cuts in from the left and shoots with his weaker right foot, but it rolls just wide of the near post.
37'
OVER FROM LEWANDOWSKI
You'd fancy the Polish forward to put this one away 99 times out of a 100 after Kimmich's square pass left him with just the goalkeeper to beat from 10 yards out. However, his first touch is a little off and his dink over El Shenawy is too strong and the ball goes over the bar.
34'
GLIMPSES FROM AL AHLY
The Egyptians have showed a couple of nice moments and are trying to get forward whenever they can, but their moves are invariably breaking down before they can get anywhere near Neuer's goal.
30'
WONDERFUL FROM KIMMICH
The 26-year-old pings a 50-yard ball forward that lands right on Coman's foot, wide on the right. He dribbles forward, taking on two defenders, and is brought down, but the referee waves play on.
27'
ANOTHER CHANCE FOR ROCA
Bayern force another opening after some swift passing and Roca has another go, this time on his weaker right foot, but it's straight at El Shenawy.
28th OF THE SEASON
After missing a penalty and failing to score against Hertha on Friday, Lewandowski is back on the scoresheet today with his 28th goal of the campaign in all competitions.
Bayern go close to doubling their lead as Gnabry plays a delightful reverse pass into Roja's path. He's about 10 yards out, over to the left, but his left-footed effort rolls narrowly wide of the far post.
21'
BOATENG ALERT
A first real break from Al Ahly, who get forward superbly down the left. Taher drives at Boateng inside the box and tries to cut past him, but the Bayern defender watches it all the way and makes a clean tackle.
18'
LEWANDOWSKI OPENS THE SCORING!
Bayern's pressure eventually takes its toll as Coman's low cross from the right rolls across the six-yard box to Gnabry. He nudges it back to Lewandowski, who takes a touch before calmly slotting in from close range.
A cross in from the right finds Müller in the centre of the box, about six yards out. It's a tricky one given the pace on the ball, and Müller can only direct his header straifght at El Shenawy.
13'
KIMMICH FREE-KICK
The birthday boy curls a deep free-kick from the left towards the back post, aiming for Müller. El Shenawy comes off his line to punch clear but completely misses the ball, and breathes a sigh of relief when a teammate puts it out for a corner.
11'
LOVELY FROM COMAN
Coman surges forward from his own half, leaving three Al Ahly players in his wake as he sprints 60 or 70 yards forward. He sees Gnabry's run again and plays a pass in between two defenders, but it's just too strong and El Shenawy comes out to clear. Coman berates himself - he knows a better pass there would've set Gnabry clean through.
8'
GNABRY HEADS OVER
Bayern are starting to build up some momentum and create some space on the right with some slick, quick passing. Pavard whips in a teasing cross into the middle and Gnabry, arriving late, beats his marker to it but can only head over from 12 yards out.
6'
AL AHLY CLOSING DOWN THE SPACES
Bayern are trying to get forward down the left, exploiting the pace of Davies. They've picked him out a few times already, but the Egyptians are aware of the danger and always have at least one defender ready to close down the Canadian instantly.
3'
FIRST GLIMPSE
Coman spies Gnabry's run into the box and tries to play him in. The Germany international almost gets there, but goalkeeper El Shenawy darts of his line to smother.
2'
BAYERN IN CONTROL
Flick's side have hogged possession so far and have been stroking it around in defence and midfield. Al Ahly are sitting deep and packing the defence, so there's been no way through so far.
1'
HERE WE GO!
Bayern, playing in an all-white strip, get the ball rolling!
Kick-off!
2:03
WATCH: HERTHA BERLIN 0-1 BAYERN
Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty but Kingsley Coman was on target in Bayenr's most recent outing, on Bundesliga Matchday 20 on Friday.
BAYERN LIKE BARCA?
Having won five trophies in 2019/20 (Bundesliga, DFB Cup, Champions League, DFL Supercup, UEFA Super Cup), Bayern can become just the second team in history to win a sextuple, after Pep Guardiola's Barcelona side did so in 2010.
KIMMICH: "WE'RE THE FAVOURITES"
Kimmich, who turns 26 today, was on the podium for Bayern's pre-match press conference yesterday, and he was in typically focused mood: "We're going into the semi-final as favourites and we should be able to win it. We can't afford to underestimate the opposition and let them spring a surprise on us."
DIFFERENT ROUTES
Bayern arrived in Qatar several hours later than expected on Saturday after their late flight from Berlin (directly after the game against Hertha) was not allowed to take off. However, while Flick conceded it "was not the best preparation," he insisted that he "won't allow any excuses" as his side bid to reach Thursday's final, against Mexican side Tigres. African champions Al Ahly, on the other hand, have already been in Qatar for a few days, and booked their place in these semi-finals with a 1-0 triumph over Qatari side Al Duhail FC last Thursday.
BAYERN TEAM NEWS
Head coach Hansi Flick has made three changes to the side that edged a 1-0 victory over Hertha Berlin on Friday: Boateng replaces Süle at centre-back, Davies comes in for Hernandez at left-back, and Roca starts alongside Kimmich in central midfield, with Sane dropping to the bench.
AL AHLY STARTING XI
El Shenawy (c) - Hany, Benoun, Ayman, Maâloul - Fathy, El Soulia - El Shahaat, Afsha, Kahraba - Taher
AL AHLY SUBS
Lotfy, Ramadan Beckham, Sherif, Ajayi, Dieng, Tawfik, Bwalya, Ibrahim, Samir, M. Mohsen, S. Mohsen, Shobeir
