Goretzka's first goal leads Bayern to simple win

Stuttgart 0-3 Bayern Munich
(Goretzka 37', Lewandowski 62', Müller 76')

Often it's all Bundesliga teams can do to keep the score down against Bayern Munich. And this was most certainly one of those occasions.

Stuttgart were resolute right up until Leon Goretzka took in a pass from Thomas Müller and curled a precise shot past Ron-Robert Zieler. That goal broke the dam and Bayern created a string of chances without taking one until just after the hour mark, when Robert Lewandowski gathered Goretzka's lay off and drilled a low shot in to the bottom corner.

The hosts had beaten Bayern 4-1 in their own backyard on the final day of last season but failed to even muster a shot on target on Saturday. When Müller latched on to Lewandowski's brilliant backheeled flick to complete the scoring, the score line came close to reflecting Bayern's dominance.

Lewandowski now has six in his first four games, Müller has two in his last two and even the new boy is scoring. With Wolfsburg the only other side on maximum points, the 2018-19 title could be sewn up very early.

As it happened:

FULL TIME

90' - James has a pop at goal now but it's a simple enough save. Zieler makes another soon after from Kimmich. 

88' - James pings an absolute pearler of a pass out - right to left - to Lewandowski. It comes to nothing but that was a breathtaking ball.

86' - James and Lewandowski play a long range one-two before the Colombian skies his shot.

82' - Two subs combine as James flicks to Gnabry who tries to dance his way through. But he's crowded out.

80' - Müller off for Tolisso in Bayern's final change.

78' - Substitutions all round. Bayern take off Robben and Ribery for James and Gnabry, who is making his debut. It's Akolo on, Castro off for the hosts.

76' - Another lovely goal. Kimmich drives a rapid pass to Lewandowski, who flicks a backheel to Müller. He makes it two in two games by drilling it in with his left after a decent first touch.

76' - GOAL! 3-0 Bayern Munich (Müller)

75' - It feels very much like Stuttgart have been playing to keep the score down here. It's hard to be too critical of that in some respects but it doesn't make for much of a game.

74' - Bayern probe around the Stuttgart box for an eternity, coming close to a clear cut chance a couple of times without ever quite making it.

71' - Boateng, who has been at his imperious best today, pings one over the Stuttgart defense to Müller but the forward just can't get it under his spell.

67' - Maffeo goes tumbling as Stuttgart make a rare break in to the box. It was difficult to see in real time but Hummels did get a toe on it.

64' - Stuttgart substitution. Didavi on for Gentner.

62' - An excellent strike from the Polish assassin. Müller lifted it in to Goretzka, he laid it to Lewandowski who smashed it low and hard with his left without as much as a glance up at the goal. That's six in four for him this season. It could be more by the time this one is done.

62' - GOAL! 2- 0 Bayern Munich (Lewandowski)

59' - Stuttgart string a few passes together in Bayern's half for only the second time in the match. It breaks down when Thommy, who has just come on for Donis, is caught offside.

56' - Hummels now. Robben swings one in to the back post but the big center back powers his header wide from five yards out. Should've scored.

55' - Lewandowski is next up on the chance conveyor belt. He strikes Müller's firm low ball first time but puts it wide of the post. Number two is surely only a matter of time here.

52' - Bayern are setting up camp around and inside Stuttgart's box again. Robben, Ribery and Müller all try and wriggle their way in and then Goretzka heads wide from a corner. He was free by the time it got there and he looks frustrated not to have doubled his tally there.

49' - Post! So close from Alaba. He lines up a free kick from miles out and catches it sweetly. It dips late and hammers against the woodwork.

46' - We're back underway. Have Stuttgart got anything more than they showed in the first 45?

HALF TIME

That whistle couldn't come soon enough for Stuttgart. They defended well until that Goretzka goal but then conceded several chances. And they've offered next to nothing going forward. They'll have to in the second half if they have designs on doing more than just keeping the score down.

43' - Müller volleys just over from a tight angle after Goretzka's knockdown but he was offside. Stuttgart need half time.

41' - That goal seems to have broken Stuttgart's will and Hummels almost makes it two. But Zieler parries away his header from a corner.

40'  - Goretzka is in the mood now. He strikes again from a similar position but not as cleanly this time and it fades away from goal.

38' - A lovely goal to break the deadlock. Boateng is high up the pitch and flicks a brilliant little ball to Müller. He exchanges passes with Lewandowski and then finds the former Schalke man. Goretzka has plenty to do but takes a touch and curls it in from the edge of the box. Not a bad way to mark your first start for your new club.

37' - GOAL 1-0 Bayern Munich (Goretzka)

34' - A shot from Stuttgart! Maffeo bites in to a challenge with Ribery on the halfway line and comes away with the ball. He feeds Donis who balloons a shot over from 25 yards. Ribery is limping off after that. Maffeo did catch him with his studs.

32' - Corner number seven for Bayern almost finds Lewandowski. But it doesn't. Stuttgart have been compact and they've denied their visitors any space in the final third. 

29' - Stuttgart finally have a little spell of pressure, with Gomez and Gentner heavily involved. But little comes of it. Bayern have had 77 per cent of the ball.

27' - Ribery dances down the left and floats one up to the back stick but no dice. He's notching up another milestone today.

23' - Close from Goretzka. Kimmich bursts past Robben, who plays him in. The full back whips in a great cross, as he seemingly always does, but Bayern's new man can only glance his header. Best chance of the game so far.

20' - Bayern have another corner, I make that five already. It's not up to much. Stuttgart are a very well organized side but it's a big ask to defend like this for an hour and a half.

16' - Kimmich strikes one on the bounce a la Pavard at the World Cup. And the man himself blocks it. He's not having the German right back steal any of his thunder.

14' - Pavard clatters Müller over on Stuttgart's left and the Bayern man is not happy about it. The Frenchman is a little fortunate to escape a booking there. There's a bit of a scramble from the resulting free kick but when Stuttgart get it clear they break well and Gomez' knockdown almost creates something for Insua.

10' - Stuttgart are very, very deep. Even Mario Gomez is stationed half way in his own half. Bayern are patiently trying to find the breach point but no luck yet.

7' - Another corner for Bayern as Maffeo can only head Robben's long ball out behind him. This time Thiago puts it in the mixer but Zieler is out to claim it.

5' - Boateng flies in to a tackle on Insua and is penalized, perhaps harshly. Stuttgart swing it in and it's cleared behind. Pavard is convinced it came off Ribery but the referee thinks otherwise.

2' - Boateng swings one of his trademark raking crossfield passes out to Ribery, who wins a corner. Thiago goes short to Robben but his low cross is easily cleared. 

1' - And we're off! 

18:25 - Just time for a quick reminder of the day's other results. In case you missed them.

18:21 - While Stuttgart's 4-1 at the end of last season at the Allianz Arena did come when Bayern were in party mode, today's hosts are no mugs. They haven't lost at Mercedes-Benz Arena since January and will hope to offer up stiff resistance to the visitors today. Bayern were not entirely convincing in their Friday night win last week but they are, you know, Bayern.

18:15 - Hello, and welcome to Saturday's Bundesliga late game where Bayern Munich look to become only the second side to reach six points. The first is, quite shockingly, Wolfsburg, though Hertha Berlin have the opportunity tomorrow.

After a relatively kind Champions League draw, Bayern will be expecting to avenge the 4-1 mauling Stuttgart gave them on the final day of last season while Stuttgart's Benjamin Pavard will be looking to impress against the team long rumored to be interested in him.

Pavard played every minute of last season and starts again today while Mario Gomez leads the line against his old club. Bayern hand a full debut to Leon Goretzka, who comes in for Javi Martinez while Mats Hummels returns alongside Jerome Boateng at the back. Still no place in the starting eleven for James Rodriguez, who is on the bench.