Musiala scores again as Bayern beat Wolfsburg

Berlin (AFP) – Nineteen-year-old Bayern forward Jamal Musiala continued his blistering early season form, scoring again as Munich beat Wolfsburg 2-0 on Sunday. 

Musiala, who declared himself eligible for Germany in 2021 despite playing for England as a junior, now has four goals in three competitive matches to start the season.

The 2-0 scoreline flattered Wolfsburg, with Munich going close to scoring on several occasions. Senegalese striker Sadio Mane had two goals stuck off for offside. 

Wolfsburg roared out of the blocks and almost forced a Bayern own goal when Canadian Alfonso Davies hit the post from an attempted clearance. 

The home side gradually grew into the ascendency and Mane looked to have put Bayern 1-0 up in the 19th minute when he latched onto a bullet pass from Serge Gnabry to convert from one metre out, but VAR ruled the goal out for offside. 

Bayern then turned up the heat on the visitors, going close several times before Musiala got his team’s first, guiding a strike past keeper Koen Casteels from the edge of the penalty area despite losing his footing just seconds before. 

The goal was Musiala’s 14th in the top grade, seeing him overtake Bayern legend and former club president Uli Hoeness as the teenager with the most goals in Bayern colours. 

Thomas Mueller then scored a trademark goal in the 44th minute, sticking a skinny leg out to deflect a shot from Joshua Kimmich into the back of the net.  

Mane went close again in the 69th minute, but dragged a diving header just wide. The Senegalese got the ball across the line just two minutes later, but had it chalked off for offside.  

The result continued a poor run of form for Wolfsburg in the Bavarian capital. The Wolves have now lost 24 and drawn two from 26 games in Munich, with no Bundesliga side having played so many away games against an opponent without a single victory. 

– Mainz and Union fight out ‘not too pretty’ 0-0 draw –

Mainz and Union Berlin split the points after a dour 0-0 draw at a two-thirds full Mewa Arena in 31-degree heat on Sunday.

“It was a tough game… It certainly wasn’t too pretty when you look at it,” admitted Berlin coach Urs Fischer after the game.

“But from my side, I’m actually satisfied. We are happy to take the point home.”

Mainz went close with the only notable chance of the first half, when an attempted cross from Lee Jae-sung was swatted to safety by Union keeper Frederik Roennow.

Rani Khedira had a chance to put Union in the lead in the 59th minute but dragged his low shot just wide. 

Mainz had a chance to win it in injury time when Dutch striker Delano Burgzorg latched onto a loose ball in the penalty area, but Union defender Robin Knoche shouldered the ball away from the goal to safety. 

Mainz manager Bo Svensson praised his side’s discipline. 

“It was difficult for all the players to play in these conditions,” he said. 

“They were very disciplined and did the things I asked them to do.”

After the game, Khedira said “it was incredibly difficult to keep up the intensity in this heat.”

Union have now gone a club record nine Bundesliga matches without a loss, winning seven and drawing two since they last tasted defeat, against Bayern Munich in March.