Bayern ease past rivals Union 3-0 to remain in top spot

MUNICH, Germany: Bayern Munich struck three times in a punishing first half to ease past Union Berlin 3-0 on Sunday (Feb 26) to confirm their status as title favourites and leave the Berliners, following their first league loss of the year, three points behind.

Bayern successfully bounced back from last week's loss to Borussia Moenchengladbach, delivering a supreme first half performance that kept them in first place on 46 points, ahead of Borussia Dortmund on goal difference. Union are third on 43.

There was more good news for the Bavarians with forward Sadio Mane making his comeback after more than three months as a second-half substitute following his injury in November.

Bayern, who host Paris St Germain on Mar 8 for their Champions League last 16 return leg, delivered punch after punch in a fierce start, giving their opponents no chance to chance.

The champions were in complete control with about 70 per cent possession and Thomas Mueller, in his 650th game for Bayern in all competitions, failed to connect in front of goal after superb early work from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the fifth minute.

Choupo-Moting did it better in the 31st, looping his header from a Kingsley Coman cross over goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow for the lead.

Coman then turned scorer, rounding the keeper to slot in their second before Jamal Musiala turned in a Mueller cutback in stoppage time to kill off the game after 45 minutes and celebrate his 20th birthday with his 11th league goal.

Union, who had won five of their six previous league games in 2023 to remain in the title race, remained on the backfoot after the break and had keeper Ronnow, who made a string of outstanding saves, to thank for keeping the score low.