Arjen Robben's red card was not enough to keep Bayern Munich from getting back on track with a crucial Bundesliga win against Wolfsburg.
2018/2019 Bundesliga
1-3
Match Events
11' CHANCE! James' free kick saved
SMART SAVE! James does well to get his effort up and over the wall, with some good dip on that strike, but it just hangs up high enough for Casteels, who gets across to parry. It was at a comfortable height for the keeper.
24' WHAT A CHANCE! Lewandowski's shot saved
HOW HAS THAT STAYED OUT?! Casteels does very well to get down to parry Robben's vintage left-footed strike. He knocks the rebound straight at Lewandowski, however, who bounces an effort at goal from six yards, but Casteels recovers quite spectacularly, flying through the air to swat it out off the line! Lewandowski can hardly believe he hasn't scored there!
30'GOAL! Wolfsburg 0-1 Bayern (Lewandowski)
IT'S BEEN COMING! Bayern lead 1-0! Hummels threads a perfect pass through the Wolfsburg defence, aided by a remarkably clever and clean dummy from Gnabry. Lewandowski, the intended target, runs onto the end of it and finishes expertly through the legs of Casteels!
48'GOAL! Wolfsburg 0-2 Bayern (Lewandowski)
BAYERN DOUBLE THEIR LEAD! 2-0! Calm, cool and collected is Lewandowski, who takes a cross from Gnabry, rounds Casteels with a clever first touch and slots the ball into the empty net for his second of the match!
57'Second Yellow Card! Robben sent off
BAYERN DOWN TO 10 MEN! Well that should certainly be a boost to the hosts' pursuit of a comeback! Robben is late arriving as he catches Rexhbecaj from behind to send the midfielder to ground, and the referee doesn't hesitate in showing the Dutchman his second yellow of the match!
63'GOAL! Wolfsburg 1-2 Bayern (Weghorst)
WOLFSBURG PULL ONE BACK! 2-1! Exactly what the hosts needed, and that's been coming! Weghorst, who has had little in terms of service this afternoon, finds himself left all alone in the penalty area as he gets on the end of Mehmedi's cross, smartly bouncing a first-time finish beyond a scrambling Neuer!
72'GOAL! Wolfsburg 1-3 Bayern (Rodriguez)
THAT MIGHT DO IT! Bayern restore their two-goal lead! It's 3-1! James produces a clinical finish from 10 yards after being picked out in all sorts of space in the penalty area, played through by Lewandowski! It has come against the run of play, and it should be enough to secure the points for Kovac's side!
Match Report
Robert Lewandowski scored twice and set up the other as 10-man Bayern Munich eased the pressure on Niko Kovac with a much-needed 3-1 win at Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Arjen Robben's second-half dismissal for two needless bookings - the first a dive on the edge of the area - gave Kovac some unnecessary concern, but James Rodriguez popped up in the 72nd minute to curtail a four-game competitive winless run.
Lewandowski had earlier struck either side of half-time to establish a two-goal buffer that was reduced through Wout Weghorst soon after Robben's departure.
But, a day after Bayern president Uli Hoeness labelled press treatment of the club a "joke", the headlines are kinder for Kovac thanks to Colombia star James, a player with whom he has reportedly shared a tense relationship.
Scoreless in five matches for club and country, Lewandowski's struggles initially continued when his mishit follow-up to a Robben effort allowed Koen Casteels to scramble the ball off the line.
Salvation soon came for the Poland international as, in the 30th minute, he read Thiago Alcantara's dummy of a Mats Hummels pass and finished through the goalkeeper's legs.
Casteels denied James before the break only for Wolfsburg to gift away the second within three minutes of the restart, defender William's backward header presenting Lewandowski with a simple one-on-one finish.
An unlikely lifeline for the hosts came through Robben's second booking for a trip on Elvis Rexhbecaj and they took advantage six minutes later as Yannick Gerhardt squared for Weghorst reduce the deficit.
However, the hope proved to be fleeting, James profiting from a fine Lewandowski pass to get the champions back on track in the Bundesliga.
Line-ups
Wolfsburg XI: K. Casteels, Knoche, Roussillon, Arnold, Brooks, R. Steffen, W. Weghorst, Gerhardt, Brekalo, Rexhbecaj, William
Subs: Verhaegh, P. Pervan, Mehmedi, Ginczek, Malli, Tisserand, Uduokhai
Bayern XI: Robben, M. Neuer, J.Martínez, M. Hummels, Alaba, R. Lewandowski, J. Rodríguez, Thiago Alcântara, N. Süle, Gnabry, J. Kimmich
Subs: Ribéry, Rafinha, J. Boateng, Sven Ulreich, T. Müller, L. Goretzka, R.Sanches