MUNICH — Bayern Munich launched their Champions League campaign with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Bodo-Glimt at home on Thursday, maintaining their perfect record in opening matches of Europe's premier competition.
The highlight of the evening was Jamal Musiala's return to action. The German midfielder had missed the previous two fixtures after revealing a neurological condition that caused him to collapse during two pre-season friendlies. His 51st-minute opener broke the deadlock and was met with warm embraces from teammates celebrating his comeback.
Bayern manager Vincent Kompany made three changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Schalke last Saturday, bringing back Musiala alongside Harry Kane and Michael Olise. The hosts dominated possession but found it difficult to penetrate Bodo's compact defensive structure in the opening 45 minutes.
The breakthrough arrived early in the second period when Musiala pounced on a blocked Kane attempt, firing home from an acute angle into the far post. Kane doubled the advantage just past the hour mark, meeting an Olise free-kick with a powerful header to extend his remarkable scoring streak in the competition to eight consecutive matches.
The final quarter of an hour saw Bayern run riot with three additional goals. Left-back Alphonso Davies unleashed a thunderous strike from distance in the 77th minute. Olise then produced a moment of magic six minutes later, curling a spectacular effort into the top corner from 25 yards out. The French winger capped off his brilliant individual performance with another clinical finish during stoppage time.
Bodo-Glimt, who surprised many by reaching the knockout stages last season, defended resolutely for much of the contest but were overwhelmed in the second half. Their difficult evening was compounded when defender Odin Bjortuft received a straight red card for a professional foul as the last man with three minutes remaining.
The comfortable victory extends Bayern's extraordinary run of success in Champions League opening fixtures to 24 consecutive wins, a streak dating back to 2002. The six-time European champions have signaled their intentions with this commanding display.
