Kimmich acrobatics hand Bayern DFL Super Cup, historic fifth trophy
The Meisterschale. The DFB Pokal. The UEFA Champions League. The UEFA Super Cup.
Now the DFL Super Cup. A spectacular finish from Joshua Kimmich ensured that Bayern beat Dortmund 3-2 on Wednesday evening. The FCB are now one trophy short of an unprecedented "six pack"
Now the DFL Super Cup. A spectacular finish from Joshua Kimmich ensured that Bayern beat Dortmund 3-2 on Wednesday evening. The FCB are now one trophy short of an unprecedented "six pack"
| Joshua Kimmich. |
Dortmund trainer Lucien Favre engaged in heavy squad rotation with six changes to the side that lost 0-2 to Augsburg over the weekend. In addition to resting keeper Roman Bürki and attacker Jadon Sancho, who remained in Dortmund with respiratory problems, Raphaël Guerreiro, Jude Bellingham, Givonnai Reyna, and Axel Witsel all began the game on the bench.
In their place, Felix Passlack, Thomas Delaney, Marwin Hitz, Mahmoud Dahoud, Julian Brandt, and Marco Reus all started. Reus donned the captain's armband for the first time in 239 days. Bayern coach Hans Dieter Flick rotated out Serge Gnabry, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba, and the injured Leroy Sané. The still not-transferred Javi Martinez began the game at the six position, stationed just ahead of center-backs Niklas Süle and Lucas Hernandez
After ten largely uneventful minutes, a Kimmich header gave the match its first rather tame scoring chance. Dortmund would get a look from a corner in the 17th as well, with Hernandez critically intervening. A Bayern counterattack seconds later. Robert Lewandowski would set-up a rushing Correntin Tolisso. The Frenchman saw his first effort saved by Hitz, but would bang home the rebound.
The game opened up a bit. Reus' effort from twelve meters out was saved by Manuel Neuer in the 24th. Eight minutes later Thomas Müller would put Bayern up 2-0 with a fine headed finish off an Alphonso Davies cross. Tolisso and countryman Coman nearly combined for a third moments later, but overplayed their passes to one another.
A runaway match seemed imminent, but Erling Haaland was able to intercept a poor Benjamin Pavard pass in the 39th and serve up Julian Brandt for a powerful distance finish. Reinvigorated after they pulled one back, the BVB began to dominate possession, distribute effectively, and generate plenty of quality chances. Delaney would eventually unleash Haaland with an incisive pass ten minutes after the restart. The 20-year-old finished ice-veined in a one-on-one duel with Neuer.
After the BVB drew level, a flood of substitutions from both sides gave the match an ragged rhythm. Unfortunately for Delaney, a defensive error cancelled out his razor sharp assist of Haaland's goal. Kimmich picked the Danish international's pocket in the 82nd and immediately charged towards goal.
After a quick give-and-go with Lewandowski, Kimmich collided with splayed keeper Hitz and the ball shot up in the air. Amazingly, Kimmich remained alert as the ball returned back down to the pitch. From his own prone position, the 25-year-old flicked the ball into the net with his left foot scorpion-style.
For the second time in four months a a sensational Kimmich finish sunk BVB hopes for a victory.