Bayern Munich crushed Champions League newcomers Rostov 5-0 with two goals from youngster Joshua Kimmich on Tuesday to kick off their Group D campaign and set a competition record with their 13th consecutive home victory.
The 21-year-old Germany midfielder struck twice in the second half after striker Robert Lewandowski converted a 28th-minute penalty and Thomas Mueller added another goal on the stroke of halftime to kill off any chance of a Russian comeback.
Kimmich’s two goals in eight minutes confirmed his fine scoring form after he grabbed his first league goal last week having netted in Germany’s World Cup qualifier earlier this month. Juan Bernat swept home Bayern’s fifth in the 90th minute.
The Russians, making their first group stage appearance, defended well for the first 20 minutes but were eventually overrun by the Germans, who beat Manchester United’s previous record of 12 consecutive home victories in the competition.
Bayern, who gave new coach Carlo Ancelotti a winning start in the competition, next play Atletico Madrid, who beat them in last season’s semi-finals and then PSV Eindhoven in their group.
The Bavarians dominated possession from the start but the Russian newcomers were disciplined at the back.
Operating with five defenders, Rostov forced the hosts to pass the ball outside the box looking for gaps and made them wait 21 minutes before the first chance fell to Lewandowski.
The Pole was awarded a penalty minutes later, sending Soslan Dzhanaev the wrong way to put his team ahead.
The Rostov goalkeeper came to the rescue 11 minutes later, denying Bayern a second goal when he punched away a point blank header by Mats Hummels.
Dzhanaev was helpless, however, when birthday boy Mueller, who turned 27, charged into the box to connect perfectly with a David Alaba cross in first half stoppage time.
The Germans picked up where they left off after the break with Kimmich, who was picked to start ahead of Xabi Alonso, timing his run to perfection and tapping in Douglas Costa’s cutback to kill off the game early in the second half.
The diminutive youngster, who enjoyed a meteoric rise last season to earn a spot in Germany’s Euro 2016 team, then rose high to head in substitute Bernat’s cross on the hour.
The Spaniard then turned scorer, slotting home in the final minute to complete a dominant performance by the Germans, who are bidding for their sixth European Cup.
