Bayern beat Tigres to lift sixth straight title at Club World Cup

Munich (dpa) – European champions Bayern Munich defeated Tigres UANL of Mexico 1-0 on Thursday in the Club World Cup final in Qatar to emulate the Barcelona team of 2008-09 with six titles in one season.

Benjamin Pavard scored the winner in the 59th, with the video referee saying that Robert Lewandowski was not offside in the build-up as originally ruled.

Germany’s Bayern had a goal disallowed after a review earlier in the game at Education City stadium in Al Rayyan, with 12,000 fans allowed in, with face masks and social distancing.

It was the latest success for Munich and their coach Hansi Flick who took charge in November 2019 and led them to the Bundesliga, German Cup, Champions League, German and European Super Cups before getting the sixth trophy in his 68th game at the helm.

Only the Barca team around coach Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi enjoyed similar success with six titles 12 years ago.

Bayern won the competition delayed from December owing to the coronavirus for the second time following 2013, and previously also the former Intercontinental Cup in 1976 and 2001.

“All we wanted was to win today. Now we have the six-pack, that’s a great story,” Lewandowski said.

Bayern were without Thomas Mueller on short notice as the influential forward tested positive for the Sars-CoV-2 virus and was isolated.

Leroy Sane took his place upfront and Niklas Suele was in defence after Jerome Boateng had left the team Wednesday for personal reasons.

Tigres, the first club from the CONCACAF region to make the final, were unchanged from their previous wins against Ulsan and Palmeiras with all goals from former France forward Andre-Pierre Gignac, and started without fear.

Bayern soon gained control and Joshua Kimmich found the net in the 18th with a low drive into the far left corner, only for the goal to be nullified after video review as Lewandowski was ruled to have been in the path of the ball in an offside position.

Kingsley Coman had a long-range blast saved by Nahuel Guzman, Sane fired against the outside left post in the 33rd and Gnabry curled inches high shortly after the restart.

Munich finally broke the deadlock shortly before the hour, with a viedeo review in their favour this time around.

Kimmich fed Lewandowski whose header was denied by Guzman but fell to Pavard who tapped into the empty net. Lewandowski was first deemed offside but Munich could celebrate a few minutes later when the review confirmed the Pole had been onside.

Tigres were unable to create a turnaround as Bayern had several further chances en route to giving the European representative an eighth straight success at the tournament.

Earlier, African champions Al Ahly beat Brazil’s Palmeiras 3-2 on penalties in the match for third place. Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy saved two of Palmeiras’ three not converted spot kicks, and substitute Junior Ajayi clinched matters for the Egyptians.

Ajayi had a goal ruled out in regulation, and with the score 0-0 after 90 minutes the shoot-out followed without extra-time being played.