Match awards from Bayern Munich’s frustrating 2:1 victory over Lokomotiv Moscow

The second game of the Champions League group stage is over and, it was far from an easy win for Bayern Munich. The Bavarians played against Lokomotiv Moscow and the Russian side made life difficult for the away team. In the end, Bayern managed to win 2:1 with a pretty, but late goal from Joshua Kimmich to secure three points for his team. Without further ado, here are the match awards.

Jersey swap: Anton Miranchuk

The Russian midfielder had an inspiring match. He often looked dangerous and finally scored in the 70th minute to make it 1:1. He was one of the better players on the pitch, although there were a few other Lokomotiv players who played well tonight. All in all, Lokomotiv wasn’t an easy opponent.

Der Kaiser: Benjamin Pavard

The French right-back had a memorable evening. He was often part of Bayern’s offensive play and contributed to his team with an assist. Hansi Flick recently critiqued him for his lack of attacking contribution. It seems that Pavard was working on his passes, as he had some good connections into the opposition’s box. He was also important defensively, especially in the last moments of the match when Bayern’s defense flattened out.

Der Fußballgott: Leon Goretzka

Even though Goretzka only played one half, his impact was immense. When Goretzka and Thomas Muller were subbed off, Bayern started to decline. Goretzka scored an amazing goal with a timely reaction to get his headed shot behind the goalkeeper’s back. He made his presence felt in the midfield and was continuously pressing the opposing players. His passing was also notable, as he managed to connect on 88% of his passes.

Der Bomber: Robert Lewandowski

The Polish striker had far from the perfect night but was still one of the better players on the pitch. He struggled to find enough space to put Lokomotiv Moscow goalkeeper Guilherme Marinato in danger. He often drifted to the flanks to draw defenders to himself and create some space for his teammates. But Lokomotiv’s defense didn’t give in and closed the attacker well. His most notable moment was when he dribbled past three defenders and was fouled inside the box, but VAR later reversed the ref’s initial decision of a penalty kick.

Meister of the Match: Joshua Kimmich

Kimmich is simply one of the best players on Earth. His passing was good overall, even on a night where he wasn’t quite at his most accurate. His vision, however, is on another level and he also helps his team a lot defensively.

Like most Bayern players, Kimmich had a hard time getting into the match, but as the game progressed, Kimmich was better. Still, even though it was far from his most dominant display, Kimmich was definitely the best player on the pitch.

As I already mentioned, his passing took a little hit this evening. He had 84% accuracy on his passes, which is somewhat below his average. Nevertheless, he still had some amazing connections, like his pass for Coman, which should have resulted in a goal. Unfortunately, the Frenchman shot too high. Kimmich also managed to connect on three key passes and most importantly, he scored the winning goal for Bayern. It was a long-distance shot, which left the keeper motionless. The game-winner had perfect placement and clinched yet another three points for Bayern Munich.