Musiala back on scoresheet as Bayern beat Gladbach without Harry Kane | OneFootball

Borussia Mönchengladbach are widely considered Bayern Munich’s bogey team, but they have lost each of the last five head-to-head fixtures. Although it only lasted for a few minutes, they started this one positively.

The January addition Hugo Bolin won a corner-kick inside the first couple of minutes before Manuel Neuer, who returned to the side after missing two games due to injury, made his first save from Rocco Reitz’s long-range effort.

At the other end, Bayern were missing their talisman for the first time this season. Harry Kane was unavailable for selection due to a minor calf issue. In his absence, Nicolas Jackson gets his eighth start as a Bayern player

More than the AFCON winner, Lennart Karl was lively during the first 15 minutes for Bayern. The youngster beats Nicolas in the tenth minute with a great finish after Leon Goretzka’s superb through pass, but it was chalked off for an offside.

The central midfielder who will leave the club at the end of the season was denied another assist when Nicolas saved Karl’s next effort. However, Goretzka did end his 41-game assist drought when Luis Díaz smashed a brilliant volley home for his 20th Bayern goal.

The Colombian winger also tied with Deniz Undav in Bundesliga’s scoring chart with 14 goals, with the England captain comfortably sitting top with 30. Jackson had his best spell of the half after Bayern’s opening goal, but he wasn’t able to capitalize on a couple of decent chances.

Nonetheless, Bayern went into the half-time break two goals in front with a counterattack masterclass in the final kick of the first 45 minutes. Konrad Laimer netted his first of the new year following an unselfish piece of play by Luis Díaz.

The three points seemed a formality, but there was another setback for Bayern’s long-serving goalkeeper Manuel Neuer as the soon-to-be 40-year-old left his spot for Jonas Urbig for the second-half. The former German international also played only the first-half of the game in Bremen in his previous appearance.

Back to the action on the pitch, Laimer and Jackson had more clear-cut chances inside the first ten minutes of the half. The Senegalese striker was denied by Nicolas from close range, but Rietz clearly fouled him just before he got his shot away. The double punishment saw Bayern handed a penalty-kick, while Gladbach’s captain was sent off with a straight red card.

In the absence of Kane, who never missed a Bundesliga penalty, Jamal Musiala took the responsibility as the star midfielder finally scored his first goal since returning from a long injury layoff. The comfortable scoreline against their ten-man visitors allowed Vincent Kompany to make more changes to the side.

More importantly, Maycon Cardozo came on for his debut as part of triple substitutions in the hour mark. The 17-year-old Brazilian attacker joined the ranks of Bayern as the first player to sign for the club from their global program World Squad.

As expected, the rest of the match lacked intensity with chances few and far between. There was still time for more goals and another Allianz Arena debutant, though. Jackson returned to the scoresheet for the first time since matchday 12 with a routine finish from Karl’s diagonal pass ten minutes from time.

A couple of minutes later, David Santos Daiber came on in Joshua Kimmich’s place for his first home appearance. As a result, Musiala ended the game as the third Bayern captain on a memorable night for him. Substitute Shūto Machino had a couple of half-chances to test Urbig before Wael Mohya scored a scrappy goal to create some consolation for the visitors in injury-time. The attacking midfielder became the first 17-year-old to score for the club in Bundesliga. 

Bayern’s lead at the top extended to 14 points before Borussia Dortmund’s game away at Köln. The Rekordmeister will have successive away fixtures themselves with games against Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen next on their list. Gladbach will be in action next Friday at home against St. Pauli in a relegation six-pointer.