Bayern extend winning run in Bundesliga

FC Bayern beat Holstein Kiel 4-3 on Saturday to consolidate their lead in the Bundesliga table. Jamal Musiala and Harry Kane netted in the first half, with Kane rounding off his brace after the restart. Serge Gnabry made it four before Pinn Forath got one back for the visitors. It seemed as if the game was over in the closing stages until Steven Skrzybski netted twice in added time for Kiel, but Bayern saw things out to seal three points.

Bayern lined up with Manuel Neuer in goal and Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Minjae Kim and Raphaël Guerreiro in a back four. Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlović anchored a midfield featuring Michael Olise, Musiala and Kingsley Coman, with Kane up front for his 50th Bundesliga appearance. Gnabry took over from Olise at half-time, with João Palhinha, Leroy Sané, Thomas Müller and Adam Aznou coming on for Pavlović, Coman, Kane and Guerreiro in the second half.

Two up at half-time

Bayern dominated possession throughout, but the visitors had the better chances at first. Lasse Rosenboom fired wide before Phil Harres only just miscued as Munich lacked cutting edge. An Olise cross evaded Coman, but Bayern took the lead when Olise's cutback invited Musiala to slot home.

Kimmich's free-kick soon crashed off the post before Munich had Kim to thank when he cleared a Lewis Holtby effort off the line. Olise missed the target at the other end and a deflected Pavlović effort was saved before Laimer had a shot blocked behind, but Bayern doubled the advantage when Kane headed in from Coman's cross on the stroke of half-time.

Frantic final phase

FCB netted immediately after the restart, Guerreiro's cross finding Kane, who steered a header past keeper Timon Weiner. Chances came and went for Musiala, Pavlović and Kane, but Gnabry capitalised on a mix-up in the box to make it four.

Weiner denied Musiala and Gnabry before Kiel got one back when they won the ball in Bayern's half and Porath's shot found the far corner of the net. Müller fired just over and Upamecano saw a header saved. Weiner denied Sané from a header before the visitors made things interesting again in added time. Timo Becker cut back for Skrzybski to bury past Neuer, who could then only parry against Fiete Arp, with Skrzybski on hand to mop up the rebound to grab a third for Kiel three minutes beyond the 90. Musiala saw an effort cleared off the line at the other end as Bayern claimed an ultimately deserved victory.

The result means Bayern top the table on 51 points from 20 matches, nine clear of Bayer Leverkusen, who take on Hoffenheim on Sunday. The Bavarians will be back in action on Friday when they entertain Werder Bremen.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen