bundesliga

Leroy Sane strike suffices as Bayern Munich beat Arminia Bielefeld

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Leroy Sane helped Bayern pick up three more Bundesliga points and set a new league record with the only goal of the game to beat Arminia Bielefeld.

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Bayern 1-0 Bielefeld
Goal: 1-0 Sane 71' (assist: Müller)

After Robert Lewandowski sent Bayern's first shot over the crossbar, Alphonso Davies dribbled his way through the Bielefeld defence, but Stefan Ortega made himself big to turn the Canadian's effort behind for a corner. Thomas Müller tested Ortega with a volley from Leon Goretzka's knock down, but then Masaya Okugawa had a run on Manuel Neuer's goal. The offside flag was raised after the Germany number one made a save and although it would not have counted had he beaten Neuer, it was enough of a warning that the record champions had to be careful as Bielefeld were ready to hit on the break. Indeed, the East Westphalians were just one accurate pass away from getting in beyond the Bayern defence on several occasions as Julian Nagelsmann's men struggled to find the right balance between sustained attacking and secure defending.

Sane took a lick of paint off the right-hand post after Corentin Tolisso sent him clean through on goal within 60 seconds of the restart. Ten minutes later, Sane sliced another effort wide of the left-hand post as another opportunity went begging. At the other end, Okugawa blazed an effort just wide of Neuer's goal, after Fabian Klos had headed wide, with the warning signs still there for the Bavarians. Sane had heeded the warning from his near misses and, third time lucky, picked his spot beyond Ortega and – crucially – between the two posts to give Bayern the lead, and set a new Bundesliga record in the process. Sane was replaced by Serge Gnabry, who almost doubled Bayern's lead with one of his first touches, sending a shot against the crossbar and the post but one goal proved to be enough to see off Bielefeld and take Bayern back to the top of the table, ahead of next weekend's Klassiker against second-placed Dortmund.

Match stats

  • Lewandowski has three goals from his three meetings with Bielefeld.
  • Bayern have scored at least once in each of their past 60 Bundesliga fixtures.
  • Müller made his 396th Bundesliga appearance for Bayern, drawing level with the great Franz Beckenbauer for league games with the club.
  • Bayern have scored an astonishing 102 times in the 2021 calendar year, setting a new Bundesliga record with Sane's goal.
  • Bielefeld have scored the fewest goals (nine) in the Bundesliga this season.

Watch: Davies on Bayern Munich's record-breaking goal haul

Line-ups

Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard, Upamecano, Hernandez (Süle 90'), Davies - Tolisso, Goretzka (Musiala 56') - Coman, Müller, Sane (Gnabry 72') - Lewandowski
Unused subs: Früchtl, Richards, Cuisance, Roca, Tillman, Stanisic
Out: Choupo-Moting (not included), Kimmich (not included), Nianzou (shoulder), Sabitzer (calf), Sarr (groin), Ulreich (back)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

Bielefeld: Ortega - Brunner, Pieper, Nilsson, Andrade (De Medina 78') – Prietl (c), Vasiliadis (Fernandes 78') - Wimmer (Hack 64'), Schöpf (Serra 90'), Okugawa - Klos (Lasme 78')
Unused subs: Kapino, Ramos, Laursen, Kunze
Out: Czyborra (appendix), Krüger (ill)
Coach: Frank Kramer 

Watch: Nagelsmann on Bayern's "important win" over Bielefeld