Sawt Falasteen - Magic Musiala lifts Bayern to victory at Galatasaray

Musiala charged up the middle of the park to help create the opener for Kingsley Coman early, before Argentina striker Mauro Icardi won and converted a penalty to level the scores.

Musiala, still just 20, laid on a goal for Harry Kane before the England captain returned the favour, allowing the Germany midfielder to get a goal of his own.

Six-time winners Bayern came into the game hoping to protect a remarkable recent record in the Champions League.

The German champions travelled to Istanbul unbeaten in their past 36 matches in the group stages, including 19 away games.

Galatasaray, the only Turkish team to have won a European trophy having lifted the Europa League in 2000, were on a streak of their own, chalking up 17 matches without a loss before Bayern's visit.

Coman got Bayern off to the best possible start, turning in a pinpoint Musiala pass after just eight minutes, his fourth goal in his past three games for the visiting Germans.

Much of the pre-match talk surrounded the availability of Galatasaray's Argentina striker Icardi.

While Tuchel said on Monday "my information is that he's out for a while", the former Paris Saint-Germain striker was named up front for the 24-time Turkish champions.

Icardi soon made his presence felt, drawing a clumsy lunge in the box from Joshua Kimmich to win a penalty after 29 minutes.

The forward forced a dive from Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, while he casually chipped a Panenka in to equalise.

Icardi then had a golden chance to give the hosts the lead a minute before the break, but Bayern defender Kim Min-jae arrived, forcing the striker to spray his shot wide.

As the second-half wore on, the home side turned up the volume in pursuit of a winner but it would be the visitors who struck next, Kane back-heeling in another Musiala assist.

Kane now has 11 goals in 12 games in all competitions for Bayern since making the move from Tottenham in the summer.

Musiala then got on the scoresheet himself, slamming a Kane assist past goalkeeper Fernando Muslera to put the match beyond doubt.

Bayern have now not lost a match in the group stages since September 2017.

K.AbuTaha--SF-PST