Bayern Munich 6-1 Fenerbahçe: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Reds Cruise to Book Cup Final With Spurs
Bayern Munich cruised to a 6-1 win over Turkish giants Fenerbahçe to set up a match against Tottenham Hotspur in Wednesday's Audi Cup final.
It was former Werder Bremen forward Max Kruse who had the first significant effort of the match, but the veteran striker couldn't test Manuel Neuer on his favoured left foot.
Bayern Munich saw a number of chances fail to find the back of the net, but a moment of genius from Robert Lewandowski helped present Renato Sanches with a simple open goal to break the deadlock at the Allianz Arena.
Matthias Hangst/GettyImages
Leon Goretzka then doubled Bayern's lead soon after thanks to a late run into the box, connecting with a low cross from Kingsley Coman before sidefooting the ball inside Harun Tekin's near post.
Fenerbahçe were then the architects of their own downfall, with both first half substitutes combining as Thomas Müller picked Nabil Dirar's pocket inside the area, giving the Germany international a simple goal.
Goretzka had his second goal of the night ruled out for a slight foul on the defender, but the referee didn't spare Fenerbahçe's blushes when Coman was presented with a simple finish from close range just before half-time.
There was just enough time left on the clock for Bayern Munich to be awarded a penalty following a needless foul from Mauricio Isla, allowing Müller to grab his second of the match.
Another defensive mistake allowed Müller to complete his hat-trick shortly after the restart with a long-range, albeit simple, strike past a stranded Harun Tekin.
Fenerbahçe's Kruse was able to pull one goal back with a stunning solo effort, but it brought little more than sarcastic cheers from the travelling fans - the same set of supporters whose jeers caused Dirar to try and walk off the pitch.
The pace of the game understandably slowed down and chances for both sides were few and far between right the way through to the final whistle, with Bayern Munich happy to cruise for the final 30 minutes to book their place in the Audi Cup final.
Bayern Munich
Key Talking Point
It took a while for Bayern Munich to get out of second gear, but there was an obvious boost after Fenerbahçe captain Hasan Ali Kaldırım was forced off through injury - with the Turkish giants losing any composure almost immediately.
Christian Kaspar-Bartke/GettyImages
What could have been an important step in their pre-season preparations proved to be little more than a glorified training exercise at the end of the day, although manager Niko Kovac won't care as they prepare to play Tottenham on Wednesday.
Player Ratings
Starting XI: Neuer (6); Kimmich (7), Süle (7), Boateng (6), Alaba (7); Goretzka (9*), Sanches (7), Thiago (8); Gnabry (7), Lewandowski (8), Coman (8).
Substitutes: Müller (9), Ulreich (6), Singh (7), Tolisso (7), Davies (7), Martinez (6), Pavard (6), Arp (6), Zaiser (6).
STAR MAN - He hardly had a stunning maiden campaign in Bavaria, but Leon Goretzka's performance showcased exactly how he could help take Bayern Munich to the next level in next season's Champions League alongside midfield maestro Thiago Alcântara.
The Germany international showed his intelligence in the final third with a smart finish from the edge of the box, while his physique was also on full display when he saw a potential second ruled out by the referee.
Yes, Thomas Müller scored a hat-trick, but picking whoever scored the most goals is just too easy.
Fenerbahçe
Player Ratings
Starting XI: Tekin (4); Isla (6), Çiftpınar (5), Jailson (7), Kaldrim (5); Moses (5), Ekici (4), Turfan (6), Rodrigues (7), Kruse (7), Muriqi (5).
Matthias Hangst/GettyImages
Substitutes: Dirar (3), Reyes (5), Sağlam (5), Zajc (6), Sayyadmanesh (7), Kadioglu (6).
Looking Ahead
Fenerbahçe will face Real Madrid in the Audi Cup's third-place play-off match before Bayern Munich take on Tottenham for the trophy itself - both matches take place on Wednesday - but the Reds will also be thinking about the new season starting this weekend, when they take on Borussia Dortmund in the DFL-Supercup on Saturday.
