Bayern Munich has been blowing out competition this season, scoring three or more goals in 11 of 12 matches coming into Wednesday, including eight in two Champions League games. But through 70 minutes on Wednesday, the German giants were scoreless. That is, until the Leroy Sané free kick vs Benfica.
Sané blasted a marvelous free kick to break the deadlock and open the floodgates as Bayern poured it on late in a 4-0 win on Wednesday at the Estádio da Luz. Sané scored the first and fourth goals after his club had two goals denied by the VAR.
First, Robert Lewandowski was ruled to have used his arm to turn in a goal. Then Kingsley Coman was found to be offside in the buildup to a Thomas Müller goal, negating a lovely elastico from the Frenchman.
Finally, after more than an hour of huffing and puffing, Sané blew the house down.
Leroy Sané Free Kick vs Benfica
Boom.
That wasn’t the first time this season Sané has scored a long-range bomb on a free kick. About a month ago, he smashed a 30-yard blast as part of a 7-0 win over VfL Bochum.
The goal helped break the resolve of the Benfica defense, which until then had held firm in front of Odisseas Vlachodimos. However, an unfortunate own goal off Everton 10 minutes later was the first of three goals in six minutes. Lewandowski scored his obligatory goal two minutes after that and Sané completed his brace in the 86th minute to complete the rout.
Benfica vs Bayern Munich Highlights (2021 UCL Group Stage)
Bayern now has 12 goals scored and none allowed in three Champions League matches this season. And it’s not as though these are being scored against scrubs. Three of the goals came against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
It could’ve been worse for Benfica if not for the two disallowed goals.
Benfica will make the return trip to Allianz Arena in Munich on Nov. 2 and hope the hold off the Bavarians for 20 minutes longer.
