BL, MD4: FC Köln 0 - 3 FC Bayern München

[Tomori]

Originally Posted by Vargas_4

Dude. Got any links to the highlights?

0-3 1. FC Köln vs. Bayern Munich Goals - 90tsunni - MyVideo

[Vargas_4]

Thanks mate!

[Trim]

I saw some extended highlights on German TV. From what I've seen, it was an easy day for us.

We had too many chances to score, the result could have easily been at least 5-0. Nevertheless, 3-0 is very satisfying.

Toni is pure class, and I'm happy Lukas managed to score (and did very well) aswell.

3-5-2 is working quite well.

[Trim]

Luca and Lukas on target
Cool Reds ease to first away win of term

Bayern warmed up nicely for their opening Champions League fixture in Bucharest on Wednesday with an ultimately comfortable 3-0 victory over game but limited Köln.

A boisterous 50,000 full house at the Rhine Energy stadium saw a first 45 minutes long on passion but short on chances, as the visitors largely controlled the play but struggled to penetrate the well-organised home defence.

Lukas late on

That all changed eight minutes after the restart when Luca Toni headed the champions into the lead, and the Italy hitman hit the target again on the hour to double the advantage.

However, the biggest cheer of the day was reserved for Lukas Podolski, the former Cologne hero tapping in a stoppage time third as Bayern wrapped up an ultimately comfortable victory.

Bayern's second win of the season takes the champions up to second in the standings on eight points from four games, level with Schalke and two points behind new leaders Hamburg.

Winning team unchanged

FCB boss Jürgen Klinsmann saw no reason to change the team which sparkled at times in beating Hertha Berlin 4-1 two weeks ago, which meant players of the calibre of newly-signed World Cup winner Massimo Oddo, club captain Mark van Bommel, and Germany regular Podolski starting on the bench.

Klinsmann will have had an eye on the club's heavy upcoming schedule with Bucharest and Bremen to come in the next seven days, and had in any case announced "a certain amount " of rotation for the coming weeks, but the upshot was that the champions again lined up in a 3-5-2 formation, with Bastian Schweinsteiger calling the midfield shots, Ze Roberto in an inside-left position, and Miro Klose alongside Toni up front.

Few first-half chances

The 3-5-2 often enough reverted to a 5-3-2 with full-backs Philipp Lahm and Christian Lell dropping back to cover in a high-tempo but cagey opening. There was an anxious moment when keeper Michael Rensing collided with Lucio in collecting a dangerous early cross, but the FCB number one was fit to continue after treatment.

Köln midfielder Roda Antar cleared just ahead of Daniel van Buyten after Toni had expertly retrieved a Schweinsteiger free-kick, and Ze warmed home keeper Faryd Mondragon's gloves with a snap shot, but the action soon switched to the other end as Antar blasted over and Rensing saved from dangerous hitman Milivoje Novakovic.

Bayern fought back and Toni's chip drifted agonisingly wide of the far post, but Demichelis was called into emergency action after Kevin McKenna's header flashed dangerously across goal. The last incident of the half saw Novakovic hauled back for offside as he shaped to round Rensing, and the sides turned round with the match all square.

Luca breaks deadlock

Munich emerged from the dressing room bristling with intent and were rewarded on 53 minutes when Toni escaped the attentions of Pedro Geromel and met Schweinsteiger's lofted free-kick with a firm header past Mondragon.

A huge cheer greeted Podolski's arrival for the luckless Klose, and the local hero was soon involved in the move which saw Ze feed the unmarked Toni, the hitman completing a quickfire brace with a routine finish from 12 yards out.

With the visitors now comfortable and in a position to shift down a gear, Oddo came on for his Bundesliga debut in place of the busy Lell, and Tim Borowski took over from Schweinsteiger in midfield.

The only criticism that could be levelled at the champions on the day was their failure to score more often, both Toni and Ze squandering glorious openings as Köln capitulated towards the end, but the result and Podolski's last-gasp tap-in mattered more than the style as Munich claimed a first away win of term.

1. FC Köln - Bayern Munich 0-3 (H-T: 0-0)

1. FC Köln: Mondragon - McKenna, Geromel, Mohamad, Brecko - Petit, Matip (Broich 65) - Radu (Vucicevic 77), Antar, Chihi (Sanou 65) - Novakovic

Bayern Munich: Rensing - Lucio, Demichelis, Van Buyten - Lell (Oddo 67), Schweinsteiger (Borowski 70), Ottl, Zé Roberto, Lahm - Toni, Klose (Podolski 57)

Substitutes: Butt, Breno, Van Bommel, Sosa

Referee: Michael Weiner (Giesen)

Spectators: 50,000 (capacity)

Goals: 0-1 Toni (53), 0-2 Toni (60), 0-3 Podolski (90+1)

Yellow Cards: Brecko / -

FC Bayern

[Trim]

Up to second
Flawless defence and deadly Toni seal win

The Säbener Strasse on Sunday morning, with regeneration-oriented yoga and stretching for the starting line-up from the previous day, and a gruelling training session for those who only played minor roles, namely captain Mark van Bommel, superstar Franck Ribéry, substitutes Massimo Oddo, Tim Borowski and goalscorer Lukas Podolski, and youngsters Breno, Jose Sosa and Toni Kroos.

Taken together with injured duo Willy Sagnol and Hamit Altintop, the list of starlets and proven internationals who were not fully required on Saturday indicates the depth in the FCB squad this season. The weekend second-string would surely walk into most of the other 17 Bundesliga line-ups.

Coach Jürgen Klinsmann is understandably pleased that his team has now won twice in a row, and that with plenty in reserve. “Obviously we’re delighted. We deserved it, and it was the right score too,” the boss declared after a comfortable 3-0 win away to promoted 1. FC Köln in front of a 50,000 full house at the Rhine Energy stadium. “We’re satisfied and we’re happily taking the three points home with us,” commented Zé Roberto, a model of trickery and invention on the day.

The result sees Bayern up from seventh to second in the standings, and also highlighted two interesting trends. On the one hand, Luca Toni remains a guarantee of goals in the league despite a worrying drought for his country. Last term’s leading scorer struck his seventh brace for Bayern, and is now up to 27 goals in a total of 34 Bundesliga appearances.

“You could get him out of bed at three in the morning and he’d go out and score goals,” grinned general manager Uli Hoeneß. Toni scored twice in the seven minutes leading up to the hour mark, and provided the assist for Podolski’s stoppage-time third, and appears completely recovered from his brief and injury-plagued pre-season. “I’m delighted, because it was important to win here,” Toni remarked after the match.

FC Bayern