MUNICH: Bayern Munich did Franz Beckenbauer proud when they beat 10-man Hoffenheim 3-0 in the Bundesliga restart on Friday dedicated to the late club and Germany football legend, reported dpa news.
Jamal Musiala scored a brace and league top scorer Harry Kane netted for the 22nd time after Bayern initially took a while to get going under the emotional circumstances following Beckenbauer’s death on Sunday at age 78.
Musiala opened the scoring in the 18th minute from a tight right angle off the far post, set up by fellow German international Leroy Sane after a corner kick.
Musiala slotted home the second with 20 minutes left after a one-two with Sane.
Hoffenheim’s hopes ended a few minutes later when Grischa Prömel was dismissed in the 74th for a second bookable offence, against Mathys Tel, and Kane got his goal in stoppage time.
According to the Bundesliga website, Bayern scored in the 65th home game in a row and by doing so set a league record.
The 11-time reigning champions moved within one point of league leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who return from a four-week winter break on Saturday at Augsburg.
Coach Thomas Tuchel said before kick-off that Beckenbauer would have wanted the team to do well in “a celebration of football” after an initial “state of shock” at the club, according to former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Bayern paid tribute to the man known as Der Kaiser (The Emporer) and Lichtgestalt (Shining light) before the game, including a minute’s silence.
The team warmed up with Beckenbauer’s number 5 shirt and wore training jackets from his era before playing the game in special shirts with “Danke Franz” (Thank you Franz) prints.
Beckenbauer’s song “Gute Freunde” (Good Friends) was played when the teams walked out, and was repeated after the Bayern goals.-Bernama
