Bayern Munich claimed the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup, defeating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at Signal Iduna Park. Nathaniel Brown and Michael Olise scored before Fábio Silva narrowed the deficit late, securing a trophy for manager Vincent Kompany in his first competitive match of the season.
The football calendar opened with a clash between domestic heavyweights as Bayern Munich traveled to Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund for the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. Somehow, the venue of the Supercup was set to be the Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund’s home stadium, turning this match into a Dortmund home game and a chance for last season’s Bundesliga runner ups to send a signal to the rest of the Bundesliga: This Bayern team can be beaten. Armed with multiple intriguing new faces and their 80,000+ fans behind them, Dortmund set out to make a point. Playing away in front of a partisan crowd, the Bavarian giants established control early before weathering a spirited second-half response from their hosts according to reports from the fixture.
Though it is natural as a Bayern fan to jump into the season with glee and fully anticipate the wonderful football the Bavarians played last season after such a long summer break, it takes time for the team to shake off the rust, achieve full match fitness again and rediscover the mechanisms built over the course of the season. It is not all going to come back in the very first game. This was very much evident in an imperfect display from both Beckenbauer Supercup finalists.
Observations from Bayern Munich’s 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund
First-Half Dominance and Nathaniel Brown’s Debut Goal
Despite missing several key contributors—including midfielder Jamal Musiala, who revealed this week he was suffering from a neurological dysfunction after collapses in their two previous friendlies, alongside unavailable options like Lennart Karl and Serge Gnabry (and Ismael Saibari was presumably not fit to play the entire 90 minutes)—Bayern dictated the tempo of the opening 45 minutes. Bayern may have lined up with a makeshift solution at the #10 position in Brown because Lennart Karl, Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala were unavailable for the game, but Dortmund could not use that to their advantage. Meanwhile Bayern were still fighting their rust, new signing Nathaniel Brown scored a goal, showing a lot of promise when he rifled in after 28 minutes on his competitive debut with the club.
Dortmund failed to register a single shot on target as Bayern scored twice and could have had more goals. The home team showed too little initiative, instead allowing the Bavarians to camp out in their half and set their goal under siege. France international Michael Olise, who had set up the first goal, scored in first-half stoppage time, giving the visitors a comfortable cushion heading into the break.
Four Observations from Bayern Munich’s tight 2-1 victory over
Dortmund’s Second-Half Fightback
Dortmund’s Fabio Silva scored in the 75th minute to reduce the arrears late on, but they could not find an equaliser and Ramy Bensebaini was sent off late in the game. Bayern officially opened their account with a trophy as they overcame Dortmund to lift the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. In what was a stern test at the Signal Iduna Park, the Bavarian giants displayed both clinical finishing and defensive resilience to ensure Vincent Kompany’s tenure started with a piece of silverware.
Managerial Reactions and Locker Room Verdicts
Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund 2017 live stream
Vincent Kompany expressed satisfaction with the win and the team’s fighting spirit, despite missing midfielder Jamal Musiala.
“I’m very happy with the win,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said. “Michael Olise and Harry Kane trained three times and were able to play 90 minutes. Regardless of the result today, it was a statement of energy, fighting for every ball, every situation. Some people maybe…”
Kane, who remains the focal point of the Bayern attack, was quick to praise the team’s application in a hostile environment, noting the psychological importance of defeating their biggest domestic rivals so early in the footballing calendar.
It was an important win to start the season, especially away at Borussia Dortmund. It was a good way to start.” The striker also reflected on the flow of the match, adding: “We had a few chances to put the game to bed. We didn’t manage it, so it remained at 2-0 despite our dominance. That’s always a dangerous result, because things can get tight again. That’s what then happened, but in the end we’re pleased it was enough,” Kane said.”
Looking Ahead to the Bundesliga Season
Bayern Munich defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 to win the German Supercup, a week before the Bundesliga season commences. Bayern Munich, last season’s domestic double winners, battled past hosts Borussia Dortmund thanks to a goal and an assist from Michael Olise to win the German Supercup, setting a strong tone for the upcoming Bundesliga season.
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