Werder Bremen 1-3 Bayern Munich: 5 Talking points as Bavarians go 5 clear at the top | Bundesliga 2020-21
Bayern Munich recorded a third-straight win in the 2020-21 Bundesliga, overcoming Werder Bremen 3-1 at the Weserstadion.
Thanks to goals from Robert Lewandowski, Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry, Bayern Munich are now five points clear at the top of the league table.
The game was pretty even in the opening exchanges before Bayern Munich found their groove and dominated proceedings. The visitors conjured the first real chance of the game in the seventh minute, but Serge Gnabry's shot from outside the box sailed just over the bar. The former Arsenal man was unlucky again, as his shot hit the post in the 34th minute.
However, chances started coming thick and fast for Bayern Munich, with Joshua Kimmich and Robert Lewandowski having a couple of half chances. The deadlock was finally broken in the 22nd minute when Leon Goretzka connected well with Joshua Kimmich's brilliant corner kick after Thomas Muller's first touch found him free in the box.
Gnabry, who was looking dangerous from the get-go, finally got his goal in the 35th minute, finding the back of the net after a wonderful passing sequence.
The visitors returned to the pitch with the same intensity after the break and continued testing JiΕΓ Pavlenka to add a third. Bayern Munich found it almost too easy to get the ball in the final third, with Lewandowski hitting the post twice in four minutes.
The Polish striker finally got his goal in the 67th minute, doing so with a simple tap-in. He hit the post in the 78th minute before he was substituted.
Werder Bremen got their consolation goal with five minutes remaining on the clock after a quick counter-attacking move. Manuel Neuer saved the initial effort but Niclas Fullkrug made no mistake in slotting the ball into an empty net.
Nevertheless, Bayern Munich hung on for their 18th league win this campaign and go five clear of Leipzig at the top.
On that note, let's have a look at five talking points from the game.
#5 Jiri Pavlenka puts in a brave display against relentless Bayern Munich
Werder Bremen never stood a chance against Bayern Munich. Their resistance against the reigning champions lasted only 22 minutes before they conceded three goals and were never in the game.
If not for the sharp reflexes from their goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka, the hosts would've conceded more goals on the night. Pavlenka was often left at the mercy of the Bayern Munich attackers by his defenders but displayed his class by making a couple of key saves in the second half. One of them was a point-blank range save to deny Robert Lewandowski.
It was his impressive display between the sticks, which ensured that the scoreline retained some respectability for Werder Bremen.
#4 Bayern Munich hit the woodwork four times
Bayern Munich were at their attacking best against Werder Bremen. They scored twice in the first half and added a third after the break. But they could've added at least a couple more if not for a bit of luck. They hit the woodwork as many as four times.
Coupled with a series of brilliant saves by Pavlenka through the 90 minutes, the visitors were unlucky to be been denied a host of clear goal-scoring opportunities by the woodwork.
Nevertheless, Bayern Munich were comfortably the better team on the night as they overwhelmed Bremen after a slow start to the game. The Bundesliga giants are now five clear at the top as they eye a record-extending ninth-consecutive league title.
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