Sadio Mane helps record-breaking Bayern Munich book UEFA Champions League last-16 berth in Plzen
Sadio Mane scored for the third time in four games as Bayern Munich beat Viktoria Plzen to book their place in the UEFA Champions League last 16 with room to spare, whilst setting a competition record 11 successive group wins.
Leroy Sane had already driven a fierce effort narrowly wide, when Mane exchanged passes with Leon Goretzka and coolly dinked over Jindrich Stanek from close range. The floodgates duly opened as Thomas Müller steered Kingsley Coman’s left-wing cross in for 2-0, before Goretzka got in on the act with a tidy finish into the bottom corner after smart play from Coman and Müller. Stand-in goalkeeper Sven Ulreich atoned for a loose clearance with a double save from Jhon Mosquera and Tomas Chory, but the Bayern onslaught only continued at the other end. With just 35 minutes on the clock, Sane weighted a superb pass into the box for Goretzka to lift Bayern’s fourth goal - and his second - over the goalkeeper.
Bayern would have added to their lead late in the first half, but for Stanek’s outstretched boot denying substitute Mathys Tel a slice of the goal-scoring pie. The Plzen goalkeeper was at it again soon after the restart, prevailing in a promising one-on-one to prevent Goretzka from completing his hat-trick. Erik Jirka shot wide after inadvertently being played in by Josip Stanisic, before Plzen added a footnote to proceedings. After saving well from Ludek Pernica, Ulreich could do nothing to stop Adam Vlkanova firing in from 18 yards or former VfB Stuttgart forward Jan Kliment halving the deficit with a shot on the turn. Stanek pushed a Ryan Gravenberch effort onto the underside of the crossbar and Tel grazed the woodwork, but the damage had long been done. A fourth straight win, coupled with Barcelona's failure to beat Inter Milan in Group C's other game, sends Bayern into the knockouts.
Match stats
Mane has eight goals in 15 games for Bayern, including two in four in the Champions League.
Bayern are unbeaten in their last 32 Champions League group games (W29, D3) - an on-going competition record.
The six-time European champions have won each of their last 11 group games – including all 10 under Julian Nagelsmann.
Müller scored his 230th competitive Bayern goal (639 appearances).
Sane has 10 goals and seven assists in his last 14 Champions League outings.
Paul Wanner is Bayern's youngest Champions League player, aged 16 years and 293 days.
Champions League Matchday 4 Matchday 4 Doosan Arena, Plzen
90'
+ 2
BAYERN ADVANCE!
With two games to spare at that! A routine win and a record 11th straight three-point haul in the Champions League groups. A jolly good show!
Full-time
89'
TIME ADDED ON
Two additional minutes. This one has been over as a contest for a good while...
84'
GOAL IN BARCELONA
Lewandowski brings Barca level against Inter, but Bayern are still heading through...
81'
FINAL CHANGE
Former Freiburg and Wolfsburg forward Pilar is on for Plzen, replacing Vlkanova.
77'
WOODWORK!
Don't poke the Bayern bear, Plzen! Wanner squares for Gravenberch, whose goal-bound shot is pushed onto the underside of the bar by Stanek. Tel then grazes the woodwork from range.
75'
PLZEN HALVE THE DEFICIT
Kliment controls on the chest and fires in a second Plzen goal on the turn. They can't, can they...?
Sane doesn't get his goal, but he more than played a part in that blistering first-half display. Sabitzer is on, alongside Paul Wanner who, aged 16 years and 293 days, becomes Bayern's youngest player in the Champions League. Upamecano is the other man to make way.
Inter now lead in Barcelona, which means Bayern are heading through...
62'
BLOT TO THE COPYBOOK
Bayern concede for the first time in this season's Champions League. Ulreich makes a great save to deny Pernica from a corner, but Plzen keep coming. Mosquera heads a cross back to Vlkanova, who thunders an unstoppable 18-yard strike into the bottom corner. Not even Ulreich and Neuer would have kept that out.
Bayern have taken their foot off the gas since the restart. Rather than going for the jugular, they're patiently probing for a fifth goal. The record champions have a huge game coming up against Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday, so won't want to overdo it.
49'
HAT-TRICK HUNTING
Bayern switch the play from right to left in the blink of an eye. Sane threads a gorgeous final pass into the feet of Goretzka, who's beaten to it by Stanek. He tries to turn in the rebound, but goes to ground under the diving goalkeeper.
47'
NOTHING DOING
Plzen win their first corner of the game. It's cleared as far as Vlkanova, who snatches at a shot from outside the area and blazes off target.
46'
TRIPLE CHANGE
Havel, Jemelka and Chory make way for Plzen. Holik, Pernica and former VfB Stuttgart striker Kliment are on.
Well, well. Bayern have been brilliant. A record 11th straight group win is surely in the bag, and with it their place in the last 16...
Half-time
45'
BAYERN GO TO SLEEP
Kalvach with a lovely ball to find Mosquera in the box, but the Colombian doesn't make the desired connection at the back post. Huge chance wasted.
43'
TEL!
Mane has the Plzen defence in his pocket as he wriggles free and feeds the run of Tel. The young Frenchman only has the keeper to beat, but Stanek gets an outstretched boot to a shot destined for the bottom corner.
38'
KING!
Coman lets fly with Bayern's fifth effort on goal, but this one is too close to Stanek.
Superb chipped finish by the Bayern midfielder, but this goal is all about Sane's beautifully weighted through-ball into the penalty area. Like a knife through Czech butter.
Ulreich passes straight out to Bucha, but atones to block Mosquera's ensuing shot and the rebound attempt from Chory. Plzen should have scored.
28'
TEL ME MORE
Mathys Tel replaces Müller, who was struggling with illness prior to the game. The 17-year-old substitute has already made history as Bayern's youngest scorer in the Bundesliga and DFB Cup this season...
This could be a long night for Plzen. Coman plays in Müller, who hooks a telling ball into the penalty box. Sane lets it run, and Goretzka tucks away a tidy finish into the bottom corner.
This has been the perfect start from Bayern. They're already two up, and look capable of getting in behind this Plzen defence every time they go forward.
17'
MAN DOWN
Chory catches Upamecano in the face with a stray boot. The medical team are on...
13'
QUICK-FIRE DOUBLE!
Bayern are cruising. Coman races away down the left and has time to pick his cross. It finds Müller, whose side-footed finish leaves Stanek with no chance. Eleven goals without reply and counting for Bayern in Group C...
Lovely goal to break the deadlock. Upamecano sweeps the ball out to the left for Mane. He runs in unchecked, before passing to Goretzka and continuing his run. Plzen don't pick up the Senegal star, who collects the return pass and dinks over Stanek.
Right idea from Müller as he plays a one-two with Goretzka on the break, but his lay-off is behind the run of Sane. Relief for the hosts.
2'
SANE!
So close to the opening goal. Kimmich switches the play to Mane, who drives at the defence and chips a ball into the penalty area. Sane controls well, but drives his right-footed attempt just wide of the far post.
1'
WE'RE OFF!
Ulreich gets his first touch following the kick-off. It's a loose one - a miscued clearance that goes unpunished.
TEAMS IN THE TUNNEL
Bayern are in their Champions League strange strip of all white. Kick-off is imminent...
HUGE HURDLE
"As with everything against Bayern, it's easier said than done," warned Plzen midfielder Jan Kopic in his pre-match press conference.
RECORD INCOMING
After making it a record 31 group games unbeaten on Matchday 3, Bayern can set a new gold standard as the first team in Champions League history to record 11 consecutive group wins...
THANKLESS TASK
The problem for Plzen is they've lost all five of their previous meetings with Bayern, shipping 18 goals along the way.
PLZEN: WHAT THEY NEED
Plzen are top of the Czech top tier, but have lost all three games in Champions League Group C, scoring one and conceding 12, including five in Munich last week. Only a win will do if they're to stand any chance of progressing to the knockouts.
GORETZKA TARGETS MAXIMUM HAUL
"It’s an important match - no question," said Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka, who was on target in Saturday's draw with Dortmund. "What's happening in the Bundesliga doesn't really have a bearing on the game. We're highly motivated anyway. It’s gone very well for us so far in the Champions League, we want to build on that and come home with 12 points."
FAVOURABLE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Bayern's record in European games against Czech clubs reads: W10, D2, L1. They've won all five of their previous meetings with Plzen.
IN-SANE FORM
Sane has scored in each of Bayern's first three games in this season's Champions League, giving him nine in his last eight appearances in the group stage, and is the club's top scorer in the 2022/23 competition with four.
Bayern are unbeaten in a competition record 31 Champions League group matches (W28, D3), winning their last 10 in a row. They have won 13 and drawn two of their last 15 away games at this stage.
MORE ON THOSE TEAMS
Sven Ulreich starts in goal for Bayern, while Noussair Mazraoui and Josip Stanisic are the full-backs. Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Müller and Kingsley Coman are also recalled to the starting line-up. Plzen have first-choice goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek back between the posts following injury.
Bayern may have romped to a 5-0 win over the Czech champions last Tuesday, but Nagelsmann is taking nothing for granted tonight: "We are not going to underestimate Plzen. Everybody who can count knows that 12 points would leave us in a very comfortable position. We have played well in the Champions League so far and we want to build on that."
BAYERN TEAM NEWS
There are some notable absentees for this evening's clash in Plzen, including Manuel Neuer, Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies and Matthijs de Ligt. Nagelsmann is still expected to name a strong line-up, but summer signings Ryan Gravenberch and Mathys Tel may get an opportunity to show what they're capable of, having only featured sparingly since the start of the campaign.
WELCOME ALONG!
A week after easing to a 5-0 win over Viktoria Plzen at the Allianz Arena, Bayern have made the 300-kilometre bus journey to the Czech Republic for tonight's reverse fixture. If they are victorious again, and Barcelona fail to beat Inter Milan in Spain, Julian Nagelsmann's side will book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
