Bayern Munich, Germany's champions, ended their run of dropped points in the UEFA Champions League with a 2-0 win away to Atlético Madrid on Tuesday, in matchday four of the league phase.
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The Bavarian giants, who are battling injuries and without coach Vincent Kompany, goals from young midfielder Lennart Karl (54) and Austria's Konrad Laimer (74) secured the win.
It was Bayern's second win in the competition and their first after two consecutive draws. The result lifted them to eight points in eighth place, keeping alive their hopes of a top-eight finish, which guarantees a direct place in the round of 16. Atlético Madrid, second in La Liga, remain inconsistent in Europe. They are stuck on four points in 20th place.
Before kick-off, the players observed a minute's silence in memory of Jesús de Miguel, a player for Tenerife in Spain's second division, who died after a heavy collision with an opposing goalkeeper on Monday. The Champions League anthem was not played, as a mark of respect for the train crash in Ordia that killed 69 people. Players from both teams also wore black armbands.
Bayern are missing several key players through injury, including Serge Gnabry, Morocco's Ismaël Saibari, who underwent ankle surgery, Jamal Musiala and Colombia's Luis Díaz.
The first half saw Bayern having the edge, as they controlled the ball and tried to find gaps in the solid defence of the hosts.
England's Harry Kane wasted a chance in the 27thminute, when his right-footed shot went just wide of the post.
Despite Bayern's dominance, Atlético came close to scoring. Marcos Llorente sent a well-placed cross to the far post, where Norway's Alexander Sørloth failed to control the ball properly (30).
Sørloth had another chance soon after, but Slovakian defender David Hancko came across to clear his shot (34).
Bayern had another good opportunity before half-time, when Karl hit a left-footed shot that rattled the crossbar.
The visitors finally broke the deadlock in the 54th minute, after Karl capitalised on a serious error by Robin Le Normand. He stole the ball and slotted it past Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak from close range.
Atlético responded through Llorente, who received a neat pass from Argentina's Julián Álvarez on the edge of the box, then cut inside and shot with his left foot. The effort went straight into the arms of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (66).
Bayern sealed the win when Laimer doubled the lead with a powerful right-footed strike, from a precise pass by Kane, into the far corner (74).
