Thomas Muller scored a second-half brace as Bayern Munich ran riot with a 5-1 thrashing of relegation-threatened Union Berlin. (More Football News)
Fresh from their Champions League win over Arsenal in midweek, Bayern looked in the mood to put their disappointing Bundesliga campaign behind them and they did just that when Leon Goretzka put them in front before Harry Kane landed a perfect free-kick on the stroke of half-time.
Muller bagged twice in the second period either side of Mathys Tel’s goal but Union Berlin avoided going four consecutive game without scoring through a late Yorbe Vertessen goal but the results leaves them just three points above the relegation play-off.
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Union Berlin almost caught their opponents cold from the start as Christopher Trimmel’s cross was flapped at by Manuel Neuer and Robin Gosens was unable to make any contact to let Bayern off the hook.
The visitors had their first shot on target in the fifth minute as the space opened up for Kane and he let rip from 20 yards but Frederik Ronnow was on hand to deal with the ball easily.
Munich started to work through the gears against a side fighting to stay in the division and next to come close was Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who glanced an effort narrowly wide from Tel’s teasing cross.
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The visitors broke the deadlock just before the half-hour mark – Tel’s pass looked to be heading into the path of Muller but he let it run through to Goretzka, who smashed the ball home emphatically to make it 1-0.
The hosts had their first shot on target three minutes after the opener when Lucas Tousart decided to have a crack from 20 yards with an effort that needed to be put behind for a corner by Neuer.
Union Berlin started to warm into the contest and were inching closer to an equaliser themselves, this time Trimmell delivered a cross for Gosens, who volleyed on target but Neuer was there to deal with it once again.
Munich doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time in superb fashion as Kane bent a wonderful free-kick beyond Ronnow for his 33rd league goal of the campaign.
Bayern went into an unassailable three-goal lead – eight minutes after the break – when Muller volleyed the ball in at the back post from Choupu-Moting’s cross on his 400th start for the club.
Bayern showed no mercy and had a fourth with half-an-hour still to play as they took advantage of some slack possession, Kane played in Tel, who tucked into the far corner.
The defending Bundesliga champions were turning this into a rout and soon celebrated their fifth when Muller glanced home Goretzka’s cross for his second of the night before Vertessen’s consolation at the death.
