Bayern newcomers shine in season opening win

Champion Bayern Munich eased past Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday to lay down a marker as they eye a record-extending sixth straight German league title. Newcomers Niklas Suele and Corentin Tolisso put the Bavarian ahead before Robert Lewandowski added a third with a penalty, following the official use of the video assistant referee for the first time in the Bundesliga.

Robert Lewandowski has now scored 61 goals in his last 66 Bundesliga games for Bayern Munich. ⚽️

Lethal in front of goal. ? pic.twitter.com/ugynAwRXeX— Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 18, 2017

Bayern were missing close to half a dozen key players to injury including Manuel Neuer, Thiago Alcantara and Jerome Boateng, but it never showed as they rode roughshod over Leverkusen for more than an hour. Admir Mehmedi pulled a goal back for the visitors in the 65th minute, who missed a handful of good chances to score again late in the game.

History! Bayern Munich benefitted from a historic video replay decision in their Bundesliga opener.https://t.co/WB9UXpUoIV pic.twitter.com/NO9BHBW8Bj— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 18, 2017

Last season's runners-up RB Leipzig are in action at Schalke 04 on Saturday while Borussia Dortmund, who finished third, travel to VfL Wolfsburg.RESULTBayern 3 (Suele 9, Tolisso 18, Lewandowski 53-P) Leverkusen 1 (Mehmedi 65)  SATURDAY'S MATCHESHoffenheim v Bremen, Berlin v Stuttgart, Hamburg v Augsburg, Mainz v Hanover, Wolfsburg v Dortmund, Schalke v Leipzig