Bayern Munich extended their winning streak to nine games across all competitions by clinching a comfortable 5-1 win against Pafos on matchday two of the Champions League. The Bavarian club ensured that a tricky away fixture turned out to be a professional victory.
Vincent Kompany made some key changes to the starting XI. Raphael Guerreiro returned to the team after a brief spell on the sidelines due to injury. Joshua Kimmich was fit enough to start, while Nicolas Jackson got his first Champions League start for the Bavarian club.
Bayern continued from where they left off against Werder Bremen on Friday. The visitors put intense pressure on Pafos in the early exchanges as Luis Diaz forced an incredible save from the goalkeeper in the seventh minute. Harry Kane came close to opening the scoring in the ninth minute as his bicycle kick hit the frame of the goal.
The early pressure from the visitors paid off in the 15th minute as Kane opened the scoring. After a neat bit of play by Luis Diaz to find Michael Olise on the right flank. The former Crystal Palace forward found the run of Kane in the box with a sweetly timed pass. There was still a lot of work to do for Kane as the angle was acute, but he managed to beat the goalkeeper with his powerful shot.
Guerreiro marked his return to the starting XI with a goal. The Portuguese full-back combined well with Jackson in the box before slotting the ball past the goalkeeper to double Die Roten’s lead.
The game was beyond the hosts after 30 minutes as Nicolas Jackson opened his account for Bayern. Konrad Laimer found Olise on the right flank. The French forward isolated the full-back and eventually found Jackson with a square pass. The Senegalese forward did the rest and calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper.
Kane piled on more misery for the host by scoring a fine solo goal in the 34th minute. The English striker showed great control to weave the ball past multiple defenders and eventually unleashed a powerful shot to beat the keeper from a difficult angle.
Pafos ensured that Bayern didn’t return home with a clean sheet. Mislav Orsic pounced on a stray pass from Kim Min-jae and curled the ball past Manuel Neuer from outside the box. It was a goal against the run of play, but Bayern were firmly in control going into the second half.
Bayern didn't take the foot off the pedal in the second half
Despite being in a comfortable position, Bayern continued to create chance against Pafos in the second half. Joshua Kimmich and Michael Olise came close to scoring, but they couldn't convert simple chances. Pafos also had one golden opportunity to make it 4-2 before Die Roten's first two chances of the second half.
Kompany made changes to give rest to his key players. Diaz came off at half-time, while Kane was replaced by Sacha Boey just after the hour mark. Jackson was leading the line, while Guerreiro slotted in the number ten position.
Michael Olise ensured that Pafos didn't even have a glimmer of hope to get back in the game by scoring Bayern's fifth goal in the 69th minute. Guerreiro found the run of Jackson with a clever chip pass. The Senegalese forward had his shot saved, but Olise was quick to pounce on the loose ball in the box and deposit it in the net.
Serge Gnabry and Nicolas Jackson had the opportunity to get another goal in the dying minutes but they narrowly missed the target. They kept Pafos at bay for majority of the second half, ensuring yet another comprehensive win. Courtesy of the win on Tuesday, Bayern went top of the table.