Bayern Munich: Top performers from 1-0 win against FC Koln
The good run of form for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga continued on Friday as they clinched a narrow 1-0 win against FC Koln. Harry Kane scored the solitary goal in the game to keep Die Roten just behind Bayer Leverkusen in the points table.
The scoreline may suggest that it was a close game, but Die Roten delivered a dominating performance away from home. They conceded only one shot on target and created several chances to win the game by a bigger scoreline. All players delivered a solid performance for Bayern on Friday, but these three players were stand-out performers in Cologne.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane is currently in the form of his life. He has seamlessly adapted to the Bundesliga as he continues to set new records every weekend. The English forward was in the right place at the right time to score the winner for Bayern. Kane delivered a very complete performance in the final third against FC Koln.
The 30-year-old forward’s linkup play is probably the best in Europe for a number nine. He constantly dropped deep to get on the ball and sprayed passes to find teammates in the final third on Friday. Kane has now scored 17 goals in 12 Bundesliga games, which is an unbelievable return. He is going to get better with more game time with his new teammates, which is a scary prospect for all Bundesliga and European rivals.
Dayot Upamecano
Bayern have been guilty of conceding poor goals in the last 12 months, which has eventually led to capitulation. The game against FC Koln was expected to be nervy since the lead was lender, but Die Roten comfortably managed the game. They were solid defensively and conceded next to zero big chances in the game. Dayot Upamecano played a crucial role in the team’s astute defensive display on Friday.
The French defender was dominant in the aerial and ground duels. Upamecano was also comfortable on the ball, completing 93% of 109 passes he attempted in the game. The former RB Leipzig defender was particularly good at evading Koln’s press in the final third, which allowed Bayern to smoothly play out from the back. Tuchel will hope Upamecano consistently delivers such performances since Bayern needs to be resolute defensively to lift the Bundesliga and Champions League titles.
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Leon Goretzka
Leon Goretzka continued his good run of form on Friday. The German midfielder has firmly cemented his place in Tuchel’s best starting XI at Bayern by churning out solid performances every week. He contributed defensively and offensively to help Bayern dominate against FC Koln.
The German international was tidy on the ball, completing 95% of passes on Friday. He was also contributing to the attack by making late runs, as he had four touches in the box and made nine passes in the final third. Goretzka made seven recoveries and six out of nine duels during the game. It was a solid midfield performance from Goretzka. It is a testament to Goretzka’s strong mentality that he took Tuchel’s criticism on the chin to become a mainstay in the starting XI. (All Stats courtesy: FotMob)