AL RAYYAN: European champions Bayern Munich cruised into the Club World Cup final where they will face Tigres after two goals from Robert Lewandowski gave them a clinical 2-0 win over Al Ahly on Monday.

Bayern will meet the Mexican side in the showpiece match on Thursday in a bid to win their second title in the competition after Egyptians Al Ahly, the African Champions League winners, take on Palmeiras of Brazil in the third-place playoff.

The German team’s manager Hansi Flick was delighted with the outcome and pointed out that they were on the front foot throughout the contest.

“We were clearly the better side and although we lost some momentum in the second half, we ran out well-deserved winners,” he said after Bayern brushed aside their rivals.

Forward Thomas Mueller added: “We were composed and we’re glad that we avoided a slip-up as Al Ahly are a big club in Egypt. We should have scored the second goal sooner.”

Bayern ended Ahly’s 32-match unbeaten run in all competitions under their South African-born coach Pitso Mosimane.

“You understand why they are number one at this point in time in the world and in Europe also,” said Mosimane. “They regained the ball quicker, they pressed us quicker, they’re more experienced. We could only do something on a break.”

Having seen Copa Libertadores holders Palmeiras suffer a shock 1-0 defeat by CONCACAF champions Tigres in the first semi-final on Sunday, UEFA’s Champions League winners Bayern took nothing for granted against a rugged Al Ahly side.

They pegged back the African club champions from the start and Lewandowski fired them ahead in the 17th minute at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium as he drilled in a shot from eight metres after Serge Gnabry squared back a Kingsley Coman effort across the face of goal.

Poland striker Lewandowski dinked a shot over the bar after a flowing move in the 37th and left back Alphonso Davies fired just wide in the 40th minute as Bayern kept pressing.

Al Ahly came forward with more purpose in the second half as the pace dropped but Bayern dominated possession and Lewandowski sealed the contest with another trademark finish in the 85th.

Substitute Leroy Sane won the ball on the right flank and swung in a superb cross for the prolific Lewandowski to nod home at the far post from close range, taking his season’s tally to 29 goals in 27 games in all competitions.

Flick stressed that he was aware Bayern faced a tough challenge against plucky Tigres, whose French striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has scored all three of their goals in the competition en route to the final.

“They’re a very dynamic and athletic team and we will have to counter them well,” said Flick. “We’ve drawn the right conclusions from watching their game against Palmeiras.”

Bayern are playing for what would be their sixth title in 12 months after the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal, the Champions League, and the German and European Super Cups.

The Club World Cup is typically a low-intensity way for the Champions League winners to add another trophy to their collection against opponents with comparatively miniscule budgets. Bayern’s only Club World Cup title to date in 2013, beating Raja Casablanca of Morocco in the final, started a run of seven consecutive wins by European teams.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2021