Although there was a significant amount of smoke, Bayern Munich took some time to ignite their performance.
In a match delayed for 10 minutes due to flare smoke engulfing the field, 17-year-old Lennart Karl scored his fourth Bundesliga goal of the season, leading Bayern to a 3-1 victory against Cologne on Wednesday.
With 17 out of 34 games played, Bayern matched the Bundesliga’s previous record of 47 points at the halfway mark, a record set by Pep Guardiola’s 2013-14 Bayern team, and surpassed it on goal difference (+53 to +35).
However, this performance was not as overwhelmingly dominant as Bayern’s recent 8-1 win against Wolfsburg.
Before kickoff, a large display of pyrotechnics from Cologne fans produced thick smoke that covered the field, prompting the referee to pause the game in the fourth minute while the players passed the ball around as visibility improved.
Cologne came out strong as well. Only quick thinking from Manuel Neuer prevented 19-year-old Said El Mala from giving Cologne an early lead on a rapid counter-attack in the second minute.
Linton Maina opened the scoring for Cologne in the 41st minute, intercepting the ball from Serge Gnabry deep in Bayern’s territory and executing a stunning solo goal as Bayern’s defense faltered.
Gnabry responded shortly after with his own impressive goal, a clever shot from a tight angle that bounced off the ground and eluded the goalkeeper.
After Bayern had difficulty breaking through Cologne’s defense, a smart short corner led to Kim Min-Jae putting his team ahead in the 71st minute, marking his first goal for Bayern in nearly a year and ending a 32-match drought.
Karl then added a clinical finish in the 84th minute from a pass by Luis Díaz, cementing a 3-1 victory for Bayern, who maintained an 11-point lead at the top of the table.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.