SALZBURG, Austria (AP) — Defending champion Bayern Munich scored a flurry of late goals to beat Salzburg 6-2 away and extend its Champions League-record winning streak to 14 games on Tuesday.
Joshua Kimmich played a big role in keeping Bayern’s winning run intact. With the score at 2-2, Kimmich set up Jérôme Boateng's goal with a corner in the 79th minute, before putting Leroy Sané free on the right to score in the 83rd. The substitute curled the ball inside the far post with his left foot to effectively seal Bayern’s third win from three games in Group A.
Salzburg’s defense crumbled in the final minutes, with Robert Lewandowski grabbing his second goal of the game in the 88th, before Lucas Hernández rounded off the scoring in injury time.
“It sounds like it was straightforward, but it was anything but,” Bayern coach Hansi Flick said. “We showed our strengths in the end. I'm very happy with the mentality my team showed.”
Flick celebrated one year in charge of the Bavarian powerhouse. Since taking over on Nov. 3, 2019, he has overseen 43 wins from 47 games, winning the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup among other, minor titles.
Both teams observed a minute’s silence for the victims of an attack in Vienna on Monday.
Bayern was without Leon Goretzka due to a calf problem and Niklas Süle due to a coronavirus infection. The visitors were stunned when Mergim Berisha opened the scoring in the fourth minute for Salzburg, which is coached by American Jesse Marsch. Berisha beat Manuel Neuer at the near post after Sékou Koita’s initial effort was blocked.
Hernández was awarded a penalty after falling under Dominik Szoboszlai’s challenge, but the decision was reversed after a VAR review as Hernández made the initial contact.
Serge Gnabry had an equalizer ruled out for offside, before Neuer made a great save to deny André Ramalho at the other end in the 17th.
Bayern was awarded another penalty after Enock Mwepu fouled Thomas Müller. This time there was no objection and Lewandowski equalized from the spot in the 21st.
Salzburg’s aggressive tacking and high-pressure game prevented Bayern from settling, however. The champions were forced to make do with less of the ball than usual.
But a moment of class led to Bayern’s second goal just before the break. Lewandowski laid the ball back for Müller, who fired in a cross that Rasmus Kristensen headed into his own net ahead of the lurking Corentin Tolisso.
Neuer made another brilliant save to turn Mwepu’s effort onto the post after the interval.
Bayern then enjoyed more chances, with Cican Stanković twice saving from Gnabry before Kingsley Coman hit the crossbar.
Marsch brought on Masaya Okugawa in the 65th and the Japan midfielder equalized seconds later. Ramalho won the ball from Lewandowski and split open the Bayern defense with the ball for Okugawa’s second goal in three games.
Just as Salzburg was pushing for a third goal, Kimmich set up Boateng, then Sané, before Lewandowski and Hernández added two more.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
