Robert Lewandowski fires Bayern to victory at Schalke

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:57 am

Bayern Munich left it late to make it two wins out of two in the Bundesliga this season with a 2-0 triumph at Schalke.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar hit the crossbar for Schalke, who did not make life easy for the record champions -- but their quality shone through eventually with Robert Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich scoring in the final 10 minutes.

The win means Carlo Ancelotti's side continue to set the pace at the top, while Markus Weinzierl's men have lost their opening two games of the season.

Matija Nastasic made his return to the Schalke team for the first time after more than a year out injured and he was one of six changes made by Weinzierl following the opening-day defeat to Frankfurt.

In the Bayern line-up for the first time was summer recruit Renato Sanches, who took Arturo Vidal's place alongside Xabi Alonso and Thiago Alcantara.

Schalke's Leon Goretzka saw a header blocked by David Alaba before he flashed another effort just wide of the far post as the crowd responded to the Royal Blues' improving form.

Lewandowski had the first real chance, though, when he placed Thomas Muller's cross just wide of the far post.

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Huntelaar went even closer with Schalke's best chance of the half after Yevhen Konoplyanka got to the near post and appeared to be fouled as the ball fell to the Dutchman -- but his shot was blocked by a combination of Manuel Neuer and Alaba.

Huntelaar had the first opportunity of the second half with his long-range effort crashing against the crossbar -- and that was the closest the hosts would come to making a breakthrough.

Tactical changes from both sides disrupted the rhythm of the game with chances at a premium -- and in such games the difference is quite often made by Lewandowski.

The Polish striker turned Alaba's cross over the bar from just four yards out with the whole goal at his mercy with just 15 minutes left on the clock -- but he proved how out of character that miss was with the winner five minutes later.

Javi Martinez threaded the ball through for Lewandowski and he raced clear of Benedikt Howedes before placing his shot over Ralf Fahrmann and into the roof of the net.

Muller could have headed in a second in the final four minutes, before doing so in stoppage time when Lewandowski teed up Kimmich to slot in his first goal for Bayern -- a week after he opened his account for Germany.