Bayern Munich 3 Hertha Berlin 0: Ribery shines and Robben makes goalscoring return
Franck Ribery continued his fine start to the season and Arjen Robben marked his return from injury with a goal as Bayern Munich cantered to a 3-0 victory over Hertha Berlin to maintain their 100 per cent start winning start to the Bundesliga season.
Both sides had won their opening three league fixtures, but it was the champions that put in another sublime performance at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
The brilliant Ribery opened the scoring early in the first half after showing brilliant feet in the Hertha area before firing his second goal of the season past goalkeeper Rune Jarstein.
It continued a fine start to the campaign for the former France winger – who endured a difficult, injury-hit season under Pep Guardiola last term – and he has now had a hand in six goals this term already.
Bayern created numerous chances to score a second after Ribery’s opener and Thiago Alcantara eventually doubled their lead following some poor Hertha defending, before Robben celebrated his comeback from injury with a well-taken goal.
The Netherlands international had come on halfway through the second half to replace Thomas Muller for his first appearance of 2016-17 after overcoming a groin injury.
Bayern consequently stay unbeaten under head coach Carlo Ancelotti, while the Bavarians have not lost their past 20 fixtures played during the Oktoberfest festival.
The hosts were in the ascendancy from the off and Robert Lewandowski saw a point-blank header well saved by Jarstein, before Muller inexplicably aimed wide from inside the six-yard box after Ribery’s fine cross.
The home side continued to dominate and Javi Martinez saw a goal-bound header from Ribery’s corner cleared off the goalline in the 15th minute.
A minute later Bayern did have the lead through a fine piece of individual skill from Ribery.
David Alaba cut the ball back for the Frenchman and Ribery danced past two Hertha defenders before firing the ball underneath Jarstein, who could only watch the ball trickle over the line.
Lewandowski should have perhaps doubled the lead on the half-hour mark when he latched onto Arturo Vidal’s sublime long ball, but the Poland international saw his one-on-one lob go wide.
Hertha looked toothless going forward in the opening 60 minutes, but the introduction of Valentin Stocker caused Bayern problems, with the winger immediately testing Manuel Neuer after a quick counter-attack.
But Bayern were 2-0 ahead in the 68th minute thanks to a gift from Hertha.
Liverpool loanee Allan lost possession inside his own area and the midfielder had no trouble beating Jarstein with a clinical finish.
Hertha’s misery did not end there as some more questionable defending saw Robben cap his comeback with his first goal of the season in the 72nd minute.
The away side again lost possession in a dangerous position, with Thiago laying the ball off for Robben, who cut inside from the right before curling the ball in the top corner for the 3-0.
And that was enough for Bayern, who strolled through the closing stages, to make it four from four in the league this term.
Key Opta stats:
– Carlo Ancelotti is the first Bayern coach to win all of his first seven competitive games. They won the first seven competitive matches of a season for the first time since 2012-13 (they won the first nine back then) when Bayern won the treble.- Franck Ribery made his 328th competitive game for Bayern drawing level with Uli Hoeness. He has scored two goals in the first four Bundesliga games of the new season, as many as he managed in the whole of last season.
– Philipp Lahm celebrated his 232nd Bundesliga win to draw level with Gerd Muller, only seven players have won more games in the Bundesliga. – Arjen Robben made his first appearance for Bayern for exactly 200 days. He last appeared against Borussia Dortmund on March 5th.
