Robert Lewandowski and Benjamin Pavard got the goals as Bayern Munich beat Union Berlin 2-0 in their first game since the coronavirus pause.
Bayern Munich recommenced their Bundesliga title defence with a 2-0 win at Union Berlin, with Robert Lewandowski reaching the 40-goal mark for a fifth successive season on his return from a knee injury.
Hansi Flick's men had been put under a little pressure by Borussia Dortmund's 4-0 thrashing of Schalke on Saturday to go within a point of the pacesetters, but Bayern picked up where they left off before the coronavirus pause – Lewandowski and Benjamin Pavard securing the points.
Although Bayern were guilty of a somewhat slow start, once they found their groove the champions played some fine football and were deserving of the lead when Lewandowski – who likely would have missed most of the rest of the season were it not for the lengthy hiatus – rolled home his penalty with 40 minutes played.
Although the visitors failed to pile on the misery against a Union side who offered little in attack after the first 10 minutes, they did eventually wrap up the victory late on with Pavard's header, Flick's side restoring their four-point cushion.
Bundesliga Standings
Match Events
1' Players wearing masks on bench
3' Lewandowski's shot blocked
7' Ujah's shot wide out
17' Disallowed! Muller scores but the goal is offside
GOAL DISALLOWED! Bayern think they have opened the scoring, only for VAR to rule it out. Goretzka heads down a corner and an onside Gnabry turns the ball towards goal from four yards out. Muller sticks out a leg to help it over the line, but he was marginally offside and the goal will not stand.
36' Yellow Card! Alphonso Davies booked
40' Penalty Goal! Union Berlin 0-1 Bayern (Lewandowski)
GOOOOOAAAAAALLLL!!!!! UNION 0-1 BAYERN!!! Lewandowski casually slots the ball pretty much down the middle to give Bayern the lead. That makes it 40 goals in all competitions for the Poland international, who is enjoying the best season of his career.
48' CLOSE! Pavard's long shot inches wide
49' CHANCE! Goretzka's shot wide out
71' Sub! Coman replaces Goretzka
80' GOAL! Union Berlin 0-2 Bayern (Pavard)
GOOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!! UNION 0-2 BAYERN!!! Kimmich's right-sided corner is crying out to be attacked and Pavard does exactly that by guiding a header into the bottom-right corner from seven yards.
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