Bayern made sweat in Köln as Kim and Karl deliver victory

Vincent Kompany’s men trailed late in the first half but quickly equalised, netting three goals without reply in a hard-fought game.

Bayern Munich travelled north this evening to face 1.FC Köln at the RhineEnergie Stadion. A win of any kind would make it the Bavarians’ best ever return from the first half of a season – they ultimately delivered a narrow 3-1 victory. 

Köln tested Manuel Neuer in an instant as Linton Maina fed Said El-Mala who shot from a tight angle. However, the first exchanges in the Cathedral City were largely stop-start as smoke from pyrotechnics clouded over proceedings. 

Match arbiter Patrick Ittrich put a 10-minute halt to proceedings before play resumed. The hosts had a couple of half-chances before Bayern created their first – Luis Díaz slipped in Hiroki Ito who was denied by Marvin Schwäbe.

The 30-year-old goalkeeper acted swiftly again when Harry Kane won back possession allowing Michael Olise to sting his gloves. Past the half-hour his sharp reactions tipped a long-range Serge Gnabry effort past the post.

Somewhat against the run of play, Köln went in front as Maina’s shot had too much zip for Neuer to handle. But the lead was short-lived. Bayern made it 1-1 with Gnabry netting past Schwäbe from a seemingly impossible angle. 

In the second-half, after a slow start, Köln went close around the hour mark. Jakub Kaminski went through one-on-one only for Kim Min-Jae to make a vital tackle. The Polish winger’s next attempt was parried by Neuer. 

Bayern called on Lennart Karl and Dayot Upamecano, while 18-year-old Finn Schenten entered for Köln. However, the Bavarians took charge with 20 minutes left – a corner routine found Ito to square for Kim Min-Jae to tap in.

Kwasniok fired more attackers into the fray late on in Bülter and Waldschmidt. Ultimately, the result was put to bed on the break. Díaz, showing his dancing feet, created space for Karl curl into the lower-left corner for a 3-1 win.