Despite the hosts having the benefit of a ‘Ukrainian home-field advantage’ with a snow covered pitch, it was the German outfit who struck first, and in spectacular fashion. After the ball ricocheted off of a Dynamo defender inside the penalty box, Bayern’s lethal striker Robert Lewandowksi was waiting to pounce with a spectacular bicycle kick that sent the ball careening into the back of the net to give the hosts the lead just 14 minutes into the match. It went from bad to worse for the home side just under five minutes before HT, when Corentin Tolisso picked out Kinglsey Coman at the back post, and the Frenchman leathered the ball off the crossbar and down into the net to double Bayern’s advantage and cap off a high-quality showing in the first half.
The hosts fought back well in the second half, creating a flurry of half-chances, threatening to get themselves back into the game. The pressure bore fruit 20 minutes from FT when Denys Harmash was played in by Viktor Tsyhankov, and the forward coolly struck the ball home to rekindle the home fan’s hopes of a comeback. Unfortunately, Dynamo were unable to carve out any high-quality chances to threaten Manuel Neuer’s goal. With Group E already wrapped up, Bayern boss Julian Naglesmann called on a host of youngsters to see out the match, and extend their winning run to five straight matches in the competition.
Despite keeping it close, a defeat for Dynamo Kiev can come as no surprise, as the Ukrainian club have now lost six of their last eight matches against Bayern Munich in Champions League matches.
