Bayern has it easy in the season opener

Bengaluru, August 19: Robert Lewandowski converted a second-half penalty as Bayern Munich opened the 2017-18 Bundesliga season with a 3-1 home win over Bayer Leverkusen on Friday.

The Polish hot-shot put Bayern 3-0 in the 52nd minute up after new signings Niklas Suele and Corentin Tolisso scored with first-half headers in the ninth and 18th minutes respectively.

Admir Mehmedi hit Leverkusen's consolation goal in the 65th.

The start of the second half of the match was delayed for more than 20 minutes due to torrential rain, but that in no way affected Bayern's momentum.

Bayern were missing close to half a dozen key players through injury including keeper Manuel Neuer, Thiago Alcantara and Jerome Boateng, but it never showed as they rode roughshod over Leverkusen for more than an hour at the Allianz Arena.

"We have to improve our defensive work," Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters. "But I am not alarmed. We will get better.

"At this stage this can happen. If we want to have a clean sheet, we have to be more compact. We gave them at times too much space.

Last season's runners-up RB Leipzig begin their title challenge at Schalke 04 on Saturday while Borussia Dortmund, who finished third, travel to VfL Wolfsburg.