Arjen Robben and Robert Lewandowski scored two goals each as Bayern Munich ran out 5-1 winners against Benfica at Allianz Arena.
2018/2019 UEFA Champions League
5-1
Match Events
13'GOAL! Bayern 1-0 Benfica (Robben)
GOAL!!! WHAT A GOAL BY ROBBEN! That's a trademark goal from the Dutchman to put Bayern 1-0 up! He has three around him on the right but somehow wriggles his way through them all before cutting back on his left and curling a lovely strike into the top-left corner from a tight angle! Beautiful goal!
Goal! FC Bayern München 1, Benfica 0. Arjen Robben (FC Bayern München) left footed shot from the right side of the box to the top left corner.
23' CHANCE! Lewandowski's shot saved
30'GOAL! Bayern 2-0 Benfica (Robben)
GOAL!! Robben makes it 2-0! Another long ball over the top sets the Dutchman away and he cuts inside, delays his shot and then smashes it in at the near post! Another quality goal!
36'GOAL! Bayern 3-0 Benfica (Lewandowski)
GOAL! Lewandowski makes it 3-0! The Polish striker gets in on the act as he rises above his two markers and thumps a downward header across goal and into the bottom corner!
46'GOAL! Bayern 3-1 Benfica (Gedson Fernandes)
GOAL!! Fernandes makes it 3-1! He's been on the pitch less than a minute and he's got himself a goal! He plays a neat give and go with Jonas to get himself behind the Bayern defence and curls his shot past Neuer and into the back of the net! Could this be the start of a famous comeback?
Goal! FC Bayern München 3, Benfica 1. Gedson Fernandes (Benfica) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jonas.
51'GOAL! Bayern 4-1 Benfica (Lewandowski)
GOAL! It's 4-1 to Bayern! Same combination as the third, but from a different side. An inswinging corner from Kimmich this time, he finds the head of Lewandowski in the middle, who glances it into the far corner beyond the goalkeeper's reach! Bayern are comfortable once again.
Goal! FC Bayern München 4, Benfica 1. Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern München) header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Joshua Kimmich with a cross following a corner.
76'GOAL! Bayern 5-1 Benfica (Ribery)
GOAL! Ribery makes it 5-1! The Frenchman starts the move on the left touchline, playing Alaba in before arriving at the penalty spot in time to slot a first-time effort low into the bottom-right corner. This has been a stroll in the park for Bayern.
Match Report
Bayern Munich qualified for the Champions League knockout stage and relieved the pressure on boss Nico Kovac with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Benfica at Allianz Arena.
The German champions are fifth in the Bundesliga after a mixed run of results but two goals each from Arjen Robben and Robert Lewandowski put Bayern on their way to their biggest winning margin of the season, rendering Gedson Fernandes' strike nothing more than a consolation as the visitors tumbled out of the competition.
Franck Ribery scored the fifth but it was the nature of Bayern's performance that will have pleased Kovac more than the result, his side playing some of their most incisive attacking football of the season, albeit against a porous Benfica defence.
Line-ups
Bayern XI: Robben, Ribéry, M. Neuer, Rafinha, J. Boateng, Alaba, T. Müller, R. Lewandowski, N. Süle, L. Goretzka, J. Kimmich
Subs: J.Martínez, Sven Ulreich, Wagner, R.Sanches, M. Shabani, J. Meier, Jeong Woo-Yeong
Benfica XI: Jonas, Lubomir Fejsa, Pizzi, André Almeida, Odisseas Vlachodimos, A.Pires, Álex Grimaldo, Rafa Silva, Rúben Dias, G. Conti, F. Cervi
Subs: H. Seferović, Nicolás Castillo, A. Živković, F. Krovinović, M. Svilar, Alfa Semedo, Gedson Fernandes