WOLFSBURG, Germany (Reuters) -Bayern Munich scored three times in a stellar 10-minute spell in the first half to battle past hosts VfL Wolfsburg 4-2 on Sunday, ending their three-game winless run in the league and reclaiming the top spot.
The Bavarians went into the match with club bosses locked in a public spat with injured keeper Manuel Neuer over the sacking last week of his close friend, goalkeeping coach Toni Tapalovic, and three consecutive 1-1 league draws since the season restarted in January.
Bayern, who face Paris St Germain in nine days in the Champions League last 16, were desperate for a win and they got it with two goals from Kingsley Coman even though they were made to sweat in the second half as the Wolves twice cut the deficit.
“The win was very important for us as are the three points,” said Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann. “We scored three goals from our three first chance and maybe we could have increased the lead if we were a bit more focused and concentrated.
“We lost possession too often in our own third. We made mistakes and allowed too much. We let Wolfsburg get back in the game. This is certainly something we must improve. After Jamal Musiala’s 4-1 things got a bit easier.”
It took Bayern only nine minutes to show they meant business.
Coman’s cross flew past Wolfsburg keeper Koen Casteels and into the far corner after Bayern’s Thomas Mueller failed to connect in front of goal.
There was nothing lucky about Coman’s second goal in the 14th with the France winger thundering in a volley at the far post from a pinpoint Joao Cancelo cross.
Bayern made it 3-0 five minutes later through Mueller, who equalled the late Gerd Mueller’s all-time club record for an infield player with his 427th Bundesliga game.
They then took their foot of the gas, allowing Wolfsburg far too much space.
Bayern were punished for their complacency a minute before the break when Jakub Kaminski caught the visitors’ mercurial defence napping with a quick one-two and a fine finish.
Things got even worse after the break with Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich sent off with a second booking for the first time in his Bundesliga career and the Wolves missing golden chances through Mattias Svanberg and Baku Ridle.
On the bench, Nagelsmann was fuming about his team’s defensive operation before Musiala briefly settled their nerves with a superb solo effort in the 73rd.
Svanberg cut the deficit once more eight minutes later and then saw keeper Yann Sommer save his stoppage-time shot as the visitors held on for a win to move up to 40 points, one above second-placed Union Berlin. Borussia Dortmund are third on 37.
