Munich Football Dominate Sunday
Munich - Party time at the Oktoberfest, as the beer is flowing. Party time for the Munich football clubs, as the victories keep coming. Here's your wrap of the local pro action.
Lions strike early and often - First, the good news. TSV 1860 München have Kevin Volland and he is a scoring machine. On Sunday at a wet Allianz Arena, he scored twice, almost added a third goal, as 1860 humbled FSV Frankfurt 4-0.
The bad news: Volland has to return to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in December. The young German is on loan to the Lions and must return to the club in the top flight. Or does he? 1860 management will try any option to keep the striker and his already six goals (and counting) this season. Especially after days like today.
1860 started off the match with a goal only 2 minutes and 2 seconds in. Captain Benjamin Lauth's corner was taken short, and Daniel Halfar outswinging left-footed flank found an unmarked Stefan Aigner, who headed in the opener.
"We started very well," said Lions coach Reiner Maurer. "Important that we took advantage of the first corner."
The Lions continued to attack in the first half but nothing doing. Frankfurt were obviously looking forward to their Oktoberfest appointment after the match than the match itself, they were listless and unimaginative the first 45 minutes.
Less than 2 minutes in the second half, Volland worked his way up the left side, saw that the Frankfurt goalie out of position, and lofted a beautiful shot over Patric Klandt for his 5th goal of the season and a 2-0 lead. Twenty minutes later, Volland put the game away with his 6th goal. He tried a cheeky shot and almost scored a natural hat-trick. An own goal by Frankfurt finished off the scoring.
The Lions head up to Franconia for a derby match against SpVgg Greuther Fürth next weekend and return home to host Dynamo Dresden on Sunday, October 2nd.
Bayern continue their hot start - The home opening loss seems so far away. After conceding the one goal in the first match (and so far only loss) of the season, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has not conceded a goal in all competitions and that continued Sunday. Neuer helped FC Bayern München beat his former club FC Schalke 2-0.
Neuer would be tested by both the home fans and their not-so-warm welcome, and the high-powered offense led by Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Spanish legend Raúl. But the calm and collected 25-year-old German international kept both the insults and goals at bay. Neuer faced only seven shots on goal, nothing of danger as Schalke could not create an offensive flow.
It was Neuer's new teammates who did control the flow, and it was Frenchman Franck Ribéry who provided the offensive spark. Dangerous throughout the match with his skill and speed, Ribéry finally broke free, led a fast break down the middle of the pitch and fed newcomer Nils Petersen, who stumbled with the ball but finally scored in the 21st minute.
Petersen started in place of the injured Mario Gomez and has fit right in with the club after leading the 2nd division of the Bundesliga in scoring last year. He did flub a shot for a second goal, but the youngster has time to get it right.
And he has the team behind him to cover mistakes. Thomas Müller has been active in the attack so far this season and due to injuries, has played all positions up front, but not yet scored. Until the 75th minute.
Ribéry dribbled into the area from the right, he tried to pass it to Müller, the ball ricocheted off a defender but right got to its intended target, and Müller finished it off.
Bayern hold the top spot on the Bundesliga table, unbeaten in 5 matches, scoring 17 goals without conceding one and since the loss. The German record champions return home to the Allianz Arena on Saturday as they host Bayer Leverkusen. Kick-off is at 18:30.
