by MUNICH (AP) — Leroy Sane scored twice as Bayern Munich set a Champions League record by extending their unbeaten run in the group to 31 games with a 5-0 victory over Czech champion Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday.
Bayern maintained their perfect start to the season to break Real Madrid’s mark of 30 consecutive group games without defeat, a streak that stretches back to September 2017.
Bayern are also unbeaten at home in Europe’s top competition since losing 3-2 to Manchester City in December 2013. Since then, the Bavarian powerhouse have won 25 games and drawn one in Munich.
Bayern recorded 2-0 wins over Inter Milan and Barcelona already in Group C, but had to face Plzen without Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich due to coronavirus. infections.
Does not matter.
Sane opened the scoring in the seventh minute when he weaved past several defenders before unleashing a shot into the top left corner, and Leon Goretzka pushed the ball past Serge Gnabry to make it 2-0 in the 13th.
Adam Vlkanova had just tried his luck for Plzeň, but Manuel Neuer collected the shot safely. It was the visitors’ only real chance in the first half.
Sadio Mane opened up in style to slot the ball over a defender and then went past two more before firing in his first Champions League goal for Bayern in the 21st.
Jamal Musiala thought he had added the fourth in the 37th minute after a well-worked team move, but the goal was disallowed via VAR as Mané was ruled offside just before playing the final pass.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann brought on the impressive Musiala for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting at the break, perhaps to rest the 19-year-old Germany international for Saturday’s Bundesliga ‘Klassiker’ at Borussia Dortmund.
Sané showed a fine first touch to control Mané’s cross with the outside of his boot, then wasted no time sending the ball with his next touch past the helpless Marián Tvrdoň in the Plzeň goal for the fourth of Bayern in the 50th. It was Sane’s 16th goal in his last 12 games in the competition.
The German winger has endured a difficult start at Bayern, with injuries hampering his impact amid high expectations since joining from City in 2020.
But the fans who once booed him showed their appreciation on Tuesday as Sane was given a thunderous ovation in the 58th minute with Nagelsmann bringing on 17-year-old Mathis Thiel.
Choupo-Moting scored the fifth goal a minute later.
Substitute Fortune Bassey provided a rare highlight for Plzeň by closing late on.
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