Bayern hold off Leipzig comeback to take Supercup
In the German football's League Winner vs. Cup Winner preamble to the season, FC Bayern München were able to secure their third straight and 11th overall Supercup with a 5-3 defeat of RB Leipzig Saturday evening at the Red Bull Arena.
The victory did not come easily as Domenico Tedesco's Roten Bullen twice fought back from a three-goal deficit. After the hosts came agonizingly close to scoring an equalizer in second half stoppage time, Leroy Sané would have the final word.
The new-look FC Bayern München issued a strong statement to anyone wondering if the post Robert Lewandowski Era might leave them in an awkward transitional phase with a 5-3 defeat of RB Leipzig in the 2022 DFL Supercup on Saturday evening. The defending German Bundesliga champions bested the DFB Pokal winners in an eight-goal-affair that was thoroughly entertaining. In the end, the German record champions were able to hold off a late Leipzig comeback to prevail 5-3 at the Red Bull Arena.
The victory did not come easily as Domenico Tedesco's Roten Bullen twice fought back from a three-goal deficit. After the hosts came agonizingly close to scoring an equalizer in second half stoppage time, Leroy Sané would have the final word.
Julian Nagelsmann lined up the defending champions in a 4-4-2. Sadio Mané served alongside Serge Gnabry in a two-striker set. Jamal Musiala and Thomas Müller handled the wings whilst Marcel Sabitzer and Joshua Kimmich paired together in midfield. Lucas Hernandez and Dayot Upamecano worked in central defense, flanked by fullbacks Alphonso Davies and Benjamin Pavard.
Domenico Tedesco's DFB-Pokal winners operated in a 3-4-3. Emil Forsberg, Christopher Nkunku, and Dominik Szoboszlai constituted the attacking trident. Konrad Laimer and Kevin Kampl paired in midfield, flanked by wingbacks Lukas Klostermann and Benjamin Henrichs. Willi Orban, Mohamed Simakan and Marcel Halstenberg served as the back-three.
After a mildly threatening start from the guests, Bayern were able to take the lead in the 14th. Tedesco's Saxons were unable to clear a corner properly and Hernandez ended up setting up Musiala, who finished from just inside the penalty area. Leipzig attempted to punch back immediately. A quick fire equalizer from Nkunku in the 16th was nevertheless scrapped after being ruled offside.
Bayern began to take control of the game thereafter, racking up more than 70 percent possession. It proved unsurprising to see the FCB double their advantage just after the half-hour-mark. The two strikers combined in the 31st, with Gnabry setting up Sané cleanly. A third Bayern goal came just before it was time to head into the tunnel. Pavard accomplished the 3-0 in the 45th following some nice interplay between Musiala and Müller.
The two teams both got their looks in during a rather hectic start to the second half. The subbed on André Silva found himself unfortunate to see his header carom off the crossbar in the 56th. Three minutes later, Halstenberg was able to head home successfully off an Nkunku corner. The hosts had managed to pull one back.
Seven minutes after that, however, the three goal cushion was restored. Gnabry dusted off a rebound of a Müller effort that keeper Peter Gulacsi had parried in the 66th. The Saxon hosts nevertheless continued to fight hard. Silva just missed with a cheeky back-heel after Nkunku served him up with his own elegant dribble in the 72nd.
Nkunku would convert from the penalty spot in the 77th after Pavard was ruled to have illegally tackled substitute Dani Olmo in the area. One minute from the end of normal time, Olmo himself would score. The Spaniard finished off a Szoboszlai cutback following a wicked Leipzig counterattack in the 89th.
Halstenberg would come within a hair's breadth of scoring the sensational equalizer at 90+1. After a tense extended period of stoppage time, it would be substitute Leroy Sané who had the final word. The German national team attacker took advantage of the numbers Leipzig had committed forward, polishing off an Davies through ball after some nifty moves past Gulasci and Hugo Novoa.