Lennart Karl and Konrad Laimer were on target as Bayern Munich comfortably defeated Atletico Madrid 2-0 in Tuesday's Champions League contest at Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Atletico Madrid 0-2 Bayern Munich: Karl and Laimer get visitors back on track
Bayern Munich were a class above Atletico Madrid, as goals from Lennart Karl and Konrad Laimer earned victory in the Champions League.
Neither side managed a shot on target in a first half that never really kicked into full gear in the Spanish capital.
But teenager Karl netted in the 54th minute after an error from Robin Le Normand, and Laimer rifled home after Dayot Upamecano had also hit the crossbar for the visitors.
Bayern moved the ball about swifter in the early stages, but it was Atleti who had the better openings, with Julian Alvarez bending one just past the right post and Pablo Barrios seeing a goal-bound effort deflect over thanks to Tom Bischof's block.
But the visitors found a groove, and Karl wastefully blazed over after being teed up by Harry Kane, while Laimer dragged a cross-shot wide after getting beyond Alejandro Grimaldo.
Kane then volleyed wide of the left-hand post when leaning back to meet Konrad Laimer's hooked cross as the teams went in level at the break.
Joshua Kimmich tested Jan Oblak and Kane dragged wide from the edge of the box before Bayern went ahead in the 55th minute.
Bischof's initial shot was blocked, but Karl caught Le Normand dawdling on the ball before cleverly clipping over Oblak.
Marcos Llorente turned sharply and hit a tame effort at Manuel Neuer in a rare Atleti attack.
At the other end, Oblak had to tip Upamecano's effort that deflected off Marc Pubill onto the crossbar, but the excellent Laimer made sure of the win in the 74th minute.
Kane spotted the full-back on the right of the area, and the full-back smashed his effort high past a helpless Oblak.
No record share for Kane but Bayern back to winning ways in Europe
Bayern, who once again had Aaron Banks in the dugout as Vincent Kompany recovers from being taken ill last month, were slightly ahead in terms of first-half expected goals figures, with 0.94 to 0.37, but there was very little to split the teams.
The second half was comfortably one-way traffic, though, and Karl scored a fifth Champions League goal – as many as all the other Bayern players under the age of 19 to score for Die Roten combined (Mathys Tel two, Jamal Musiala, Samuel Kuffour, and Roque Santa Cruz all one).
Kane was looking to equal Cristiano Ronaldo's record of scoring in 11 straight Champions League games, but fell short of the hugely impressive feat.
The newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner did finish with an assist, though, teeing up Laimer, who was one of the best players on the pitch – his three shots were only bettered by Kane (five, though none of those were on target), while he had 13 touches in the opposition box.
By the end of the game, Bayern had a superior xG of 1.77 to 0.83, and registered 19 shots to Atleti's nine.
Bayern had drawn their previous two Champions League games, having not drawn three straight since 2006, but victory here propels them into the top eight, while Atleti are languishing down in 21st.
