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Karl and Laimer on target as Bayern Munich cruise past Atlético Madrid
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- Karl and Laimer on target as Bayern Munich cruise past Atlético Madrid
Karl and Laimer on target as Bayern Munich cruise past Atlético Madrid
Looking to get back to winning ways in Europe after drawing 1-1 with Stuttgart last time out, Atlético Madrid made a lively start as Bayern visited the Metropolitano, with talisman Julian Alvarez curling an effort narrowly wide of Manuel Neuer's far post inside three minutes.
Bayern then quickly took control, but despite enjoying over 70 per cent of the ball in the opening 20 minutes, they failed to register a shot, while Atléti midfielder Pablo Barrios saw a deflected effort fly just over.
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Lennart Karl threatened midway through the half, firing over from the edge of the box, while Kane put an effort just wide following a delivery from Konrad Laimer.
On the half-hour mark, the hosts should have taken the lead, with Alexander Sørloth handed a chance he will not want to see again, with the Norwegian unable to sort his feet out following a ball to the back stick from Marc Pubill.
And after both sides failed to manage a shot on target before the break, Joshua Kimmich finally tested Jan Oblak shortly after the restart, before Karl broke the deadlock in the 54th minute.
Robin Le Normand appeared to have the ball under control near the penalty spot after blocking an effort from Tom Bischof, but the youngster then stole possession from behind the Spanish defender and fired the visitors into the lead.
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Koke, Ademola Lookman and Lee Kang-in would come on for the hosts five minutes later, and Los Colchoneros began to find their feet after the changes, with Marcos Llorente forcing Neuer into his first save of the evening in the 67th minute.
Goalscorer Karl was replaced by Nathaniel Brown shortly afterwards, before Kane went close to doubling Bayern's advantage, only for the flag to be raised after the England captain lifted an effort narrowly over after rounding the onrushing Oblak.
Bayern would double their lead in the 74th minute, when Laimer hammered in off the crossbar from a tight angle following a beautifully clipped ball from Kane.
In the ascendancy and carrying a two-goal lead, the record German champions were well on track to pick up their first Champions League win since the opening week triumph against Bodø/Glimt.
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Bayern did think they had a third in the 82nd minute, when Dayot Upamecano headed home from a corner, before the effort was ruled out for a foul, and left-back Brown then had a chance to extend the lead, only to be denied by Oblak on the angle.
Seeing out the win, Bayern take three points back to Munich with them and turn their European form back around after successive draws, while attention now turns to Saturday's trip to Mainz.
