Unspectacular Bayern wins without Lewandowski
Thomas Muller and Serge Gnabry were decisive as Bayern Munich secured an unspectacular 2-1 win over Cologne in the absence of Robert Lewandowski on Sunday (AEDT).
Talismanic striker Lewandowski, like Leon Goretzka, was afforded a rest by coach Hansi Flick and Cologne was unable to take advantage as Bayern clinched an 12th win in 13 games against the Billy Goats.
Muller opened the scoring early on with a penalty won by Gnabry, who then made it 2-0 just before the interval with a lovely effort.
Although Bayern was by no means at its rampant best and seemingly played within itself, it just about did enough to claim the victory, Cologne pulling one back through Dominick Drexler.
Despite making an encouraging start, Cologne found itself trailing by the 13th minute as Marius Wolf handled Gnabry's header in the box to concede a penalty, which Muller dispatched coolly.
The hosts should have levelled soon after but Ismail Jakobs shot wide of the right-hand post having wriggled into space in the left side of the area.
Bayern then doubled its lead on the stroke of half-time, with Gnabry cutting in from the right and placing a left-footed effort into the bottom-far corner as Cologne was caught on the break.
The visitors looked eager to kill the game off quickly upon the restart, with Leroy Sane and Gnabry particularly bright.
But Bayern's intensity waned, and Cologne almost pulled one back when Jakobs sent a header agonisingly past the left-hand post in the 71st minute.
Cologne did get on the scoresheet eight minutes from time, with Thielmann's shot deflecting off Drexler – VAR (video assistant referee) judged he was just onside – and into the net, but an equaliser was a step too far.
Bayern returns to UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday (AEDT) away to Salzburg, before going up against Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker next weekend. Cologne faces Werder Bremen on Saturday (AEDT).
