Robert Lewandowski scored his 26th goal of the Bundesliga season, and 40th in all competitions, to keep Bayern Munich four points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table with Benjamin Pavard adding the second late on.



Union Berlin 0-2 Bayern Munich
Goals: 0-1 Lewandowski (40'), 0-2 Pavard (80')

As was expected, league leaders Bayern took control of the early possession in Berlin, but it was actually the home side who produced the first chance of the game. Marius Bülter forcing a save from Manuel Neuer after good work down the right flank from Marcus Ingvartsen. Bayern thought they had gone ahead after 18 minutes when Thomas Müller poked home from close range, but he was in an offside position from Serge Gnabry's initial header towards goal. Bayern continued to maintain control with their high defensive line earning six offside calls against the home side in the first half, and then took the lead before the break. Leon Goretzka beat Neven Subotic to a loose ball in the ball and earned his side a penalty from the Serbian defender's challenge. Lewandowski stepped up against fellow Pole Rafal Gikiewicz and slotted his spot-kick home for his 26th league goal of the season.
  • The game continued in its even state into the second half, with Leon Goretzka going close to a second goal for Bayern, while Grischa Prömel sent a half-volley wide across goal at the other end. Hansi Flick's troops, though, maintained control of the game while keeping composed enough to not force themselves forward. Top Union scorer Sebastian Andersson came on with 20 minutes to play. Gnabry had a pair of chances to put the game to bed, but it was Pavard who did the job by heading home from a Joshua Kimmich corner. Neuer made sure of his clean sheet with a late save from Felix Kroos as Bayern restored their four-point cushion at the top of the Bundesliga table, ahead of Borussia Dortmund and the chasing pack.



Match stats

  • Bayern are now unbeaten in 16 competitive matches (12 in the Bundesliga).
  • Four points is Bayern's biggest lead at the top of the Bundesliga this season.
  • Bayern scored their 50th goal under Hansi Flick in the Bundesliga from just 16 games. That's the best record of any coach in the league's history.
  • Lewandowski is only the second player in Bundesliga history to have scored 26 goals after 26 matches in a league season.
    Lewandowski has now scored 25 of his 28 penalties for Bayern in the Bundesliga.
  • Pavard has scored two of his last three Bundesliga goals against Union this season.
  • The Frenchman's goal was also the 750th goal of the season making it 3.2 goals scored per game in the league, the highest mark in the Bundesliga since the 1985/86 season.

Line-ups

Union: Gikiewicz - Hübner, Schlotterbeck, Subotic - Trimmel (c), Prömel (Kroos 85'), Andrich (Gentner 71'), Lenz - Ingvartsen (Mees 81'), Bülter (Ryerson 85') - Ujah (Andersson 70')
Unused subs: Nicolas, Reichel, Parensen, Polter,
Out: Becker (thigh), Friedrich (suspended), Gogia (match fitness), Malli (match fitness)
Coach: Urs Fischer



Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard, Boateng, Alaba, Davies - Kimmich, Thiago - Gnabry (Perisic 85'), Goretzka (Coman 71'), Müller ( Cuisance 89') - Lewandowski
Unused subs: Ulreich, Odriozola, Hernandez, Mai, Zirkzee
Out: Coutinho (ankle), Martinez (match fitness), Süle (match fitness), Tolisso (ankle)
Coach: Hansi Flick