FC Bayern 5 – 0 Fortuna Dusseldorf
30/05/20
It’s nineteen years since Fortuna Dusseldorf last beat Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and on the 50th meeting between the two sides by half-time it was clear it would become two decades without a win as Bayern cruised to a five nil victory and a ten point lead in the title race.
Two goals from Lewandovski, one each from Benjamin Pavard and Alphonso Davis and an own goal saw Bayern cruise to a fourth straight win since the resumption of Bundesliga.
First half Fortuna out of their depth
Fortuna had the first shot on target when Kenan Karaman was put through and pulled it back for Alfredo Morales whose weak attempt was easily saved by Manuel Neuer.
Lewandowski rose well to win the header from Neuer’s clearance which sent Thomas Muller on his way. Muller passed it back to Lewandowski whose cross into the danger area was snuffed out by the Fortuna defence.
Lewandowski was looking dangerous early on, wanting to break his duck against Fortuna (the only team he hasn’t scored against in the Bundesliga) but the heavy touch off his chest after being put through allowed Fortuna goalkeeper Kastenmeier to collect the ball.
The deadlock was broken by an own goal from Fortuna defender Mathias Jorgensen. Muller played a cross field ball which was met first time by Serge Gnabry. Gnabry’s pull back was flicked goalward by a sprawling Pavard who directed the ball into Jorgensen’s path and into the net.
The second Bayern goal came after Lewandovski crossed for Thomas Muller whose first time shot was well saved at the near post. However Florian Kastenmeier’s efforts were to no avail. From the resulting corner Benjamin Pavard found what seemed like an impossible piece of space in a congested box and headed into the net.
Lewandovski did break his duck against the only team in Bundesliga to have kept him out this season and what a goal it was on the stroke of half time. Bayern’s number nine played a flick round the corner to Kimmich who disguised a pull back to Muller who pulled it back again for Lewandovski to tap into an unguarded net. 3-0 Bayern at half-time.
Second half fortunes blown away
Fortuna might as well not have come out of the tunnel for the second half.
Lewandovski doubled his tally with a lovely back heel finish after Kingsley Coman had the time to nonchalantly flick the ball across the Fortuna box. Niko Giebelman missed the awkward bounce and Gnabry fired the ball low into the six yard area for Lewandovski to elegantly tap in.
Two minutes later Bayern made it five-nil when Alphonso Davis bundled his way through four Fortuna defenders and finished low into the net.
Fortuna’s best chance came on 59 minutes when Andre Hoffman got in front of his marker but from under Neuer’s posts the Fortuna defender managed to head over the bar.
Fortuna had another chance to salvage some pride when Niko Giebelman hit a powerful shot first time from twenty yards out but Manuel Neuer, who almost had a day-off, managed to get down low and save.
On sixty-nine minutes Kastenmeier made a great double save getting down to Serge Gnabry’s shot, the Bayern striker having wriggled his way across the Fortuna six-yard box before pulling the trigger. The rebound fell to Lewandovski who held off and held off before firing a low shot across the Fortuna goal which was saved by Kastenmeier’s foot.
The rest of the game was played out like a training session as Bayern brought on a host of youngsters to see them through to a 10-point lead over second place Borussia Dortmund who play on Sunday.
FC Bayern: Neuer, Pavard, Hernandez, Alaba, Davis, Kimmich, Goretzka, Coman, Muller, Gnabry, Lewandowski
Subs: Odriozola, Aguinaga, Cuisance, Perisic, Zirkzee, Boateng, Ulreich, Singh, Batista-Meher
Fortuna Dusseldorf: Kastenmeier, Zimmerman, Bodzek, Jorgensen, Hoffman, Giebelmann, Karaman, Morales, Stoger, Thommy, Skrzybski
Subs: Rensing, Berisha, Ofori, Pledl, Hennings, Suttner, Zimmer, Bermuth, Sobottka
Goals: Jorgensen (OG) 14′, Pavard 29′, Lewandovski 43′ 49′, Davis 51′
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 