WHAT HAPPENED
We progressed to the knockout stage of the Premier League International Cup with a convincing 5-2 win against Bayern Munich at Meadow Park.
Goals from Vlad Dragomir, Jordi Osei-Tutu, Emile Smith Rowe and a brace from Jeff Reine-Adelaide saw us defeat the German side.
We kicked off the match much as we had done in our previous fixture against Manchester United; on the front foot, but this time we struggled to create early on.
In fact, it was the visitors who had the first noteworthy chance of the match, when Adrian Fein cut inside on his right foot, forcing Hugo Keto into tipping the ball over the bar.
Soon after, however, Reine-Adelaide almost sparked the game into life when he ended a powerful run from deep by threading in Joe Willock, whose shot was saved by Bayern’s Leo Weinkaut.
With opportunities on goal now increasing, Willock drove at goal, darting past the Bayern defenders, before laying the ball off for Dragomir to sweep home in fine style and give us the lead.
We quickly took advantage of our dominance and doubled up through Reine-Adelaide, who fired the ball in after meeting Smith Rowe’s cross at the far post.
Despite ending the first half strongly, it was the visitors who were on following the interval, and quickly reduced the deficit through Awoudja, who headed in from a corner.
Bayern continued to turn the screw and eventually made their pressure tell as Kwase Wreidt poked in from close range after Keto had spilled Raphael Obermair’s drilled delivery.
Steve Gatting’s side hit back with two goals in quick succession to regain out lead, first through Osei-Tutu and then once more through Reine-Adelaide, who was proving tough for the German side to handle.
With just eight minutes of the 90 remaining, and with the wind in our sails, we pushed for yet another goal, with Smith Rowe this time striking to round off the scoring.
WHAT IT MEANS
Victory sees us progress to the knockout stage of the Premier League International Cup having come through our group undefeated.
WHAT’S NEXT
We travel to Sunderland in the Premier League 2, hoping to maintain our positive run of form.
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