Depleted Bayern seal first place with hard-fought win over Dynamo Kiev
Despite being without the likes of Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry and Dayot Upamecano, Bayern München beat Dynamo Kiev 2-1 to seal the top spot in Group E.
| Robert Lewandowski. | Photo: Sven Mandel / CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
With a total of nine players out – seven of them due to COVID-19 quarantine – Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann had just 14 outfield players to pick from.
Fortunately for Bayern, Robert Lewandowski was fit and available, and the Polish star striker showed his class in the 14th minute as he made it 1-0 with a perfect overhead kick.
Dynamo rarely caused problems for Bayern in the first half, but the home side nearly equalised out of nothing around the half hour mark, when the ball hit the post after Manuel Neuer produced an air shot.
Kingsley Coman was deemed fit enough to start the game after recovering from a muscle problem, and the winger doubled the lead shortly before the break with a powerful shot at the far post.
The home side had a golden chance to halve the deficit in the beginning of the second half as Mykola Shaparenko was sent through on goal, but he couldn't put the ball past Manuel Neuer.
Then, with 70 minutes on the clock, Dynamo scored their first goal in Group E, with second-half substitute Denis Garmash finishing between Neuer's legs to give the home side a lifeline.
But Bayern held on to their lead, sealing the top spot after making it five wins out of five in the Champions League this season.
