Bayern routs Leverkusen 4-0 to end crisis, Musiala stars

BERLIN (AP) — Crisis? What crisis?

Jamal Musiala starred and Bayern Munich ended its four-game winless run by beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 as the Bundesliga returned from the international break on Friday.

The 19-year-old Musiala was involved in all three of the first-half goals. And this time – in contrast to the 1-0 defeat in Augsburg or the three preceding draws – fortune was smiling on Bayern. Every score was helped on its way by a slight deflection – or a gift from the opposition.

The 10-time defending champion wasted little time in answering its first loss of the season in Augsburg as Musiala skipped down the right wing and crossed for Leroy Sané to open the scoring in the third minute.

Thomas Müller set up Musiala to score in the 17th, and Musiala was involved again when he set up Sadio Mané to end his six-game scoring drought in the 39th. It was Mané’s first goal in Munich for his new team.

Mané thought he’d scored again early in the second half, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check for an apparent foul by Matthijs de Ligt on Odilon Kossounou in the buildup. Bayern’s players kept playing while the Leverkusen defender was lying on the ground after a clash of heads with de Ligt and Musiala again provided the final pass. Referee Tobias Stieler checked replays while Kossounou received treatment and consequently penalized de Ligt for a foul.

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer denied Amine Adli in the visitors’ only real chance, while his counterpart Lukáš Hrádecký ended an evening to forget by gifting Müller Bayern’s fourth goal in the 84th. Hrádecký wanted to play the ball out but slipped and inadvertently provided the assist for Müller, whose celebrations were muted by embarrassment.

Bayern moved two points behind league leader Union Berlin, which visits Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.