Choupo-Moting nets brace in Bayern's "Debutante Ball"
A courageous fifth-tier side refused to serve as pushovers in FC Bayern's long delayed opening round DFB-Pokal fixture. The pro-am team from the town of Düren held a makeshift Hansi Flick side to only three goals in defeat.
Düren's club president Wolfgang Spelthahn had told German footballing magazine Kicker earlier in the week that his team "wished to concede fewer than eight goals" in order to "do better than FC Barcelona [in the 2019/20 Champions League Quarterfinals]".
That mission was accomplished, albeit with some assistance from lady luck.
Bayern trainer Hans Dieter Flick used all four of his late transfer window acquisitions in what Kicker magazine pejoratively described as the "debutant ball". Newly signed back-up striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting spearheaded a self-coached 4-2-3-1 that also featured Douglas Costa on the right wing, Marc Roca in midfield, and Bouna Sarr at right-back.
Düren's club president Wolfgang Spelthahn had told German footballing magazine Kicker earlier in the week that his team "wished to concede fewer than eight goals" in order to "do better than FC Barcelona [in the 2019/20 Champions League Quarterfinals]".
That mission was accomplished, albeit with some assistance from lady luck.
Young phenom Jamal Musiala also began the match in the starting XI. Surprisingly enough, Flick did start four of his regulars. Thomas Müller, Jerome Boateng, Alphonso Davies, and Niklas Süle all made their way into the lineup.
The Bavarians were slow to get into gear with all of the personnel changes. It took 18 minutes for Choupo-Moting to trouble the Düren keeper. Within six minutes, however, the German giants were able to open the scoring on their second legitimate scoring chance. Three of the new transfers were involved. Costa unleashed Sarr with a through ball, and the Frenchman served up the German-born Cameroonian international for his first Bayern goal.
Choupo-Moting would later earn a penalty in the 36th after being cut down by Düren defender Jordan Sobiech. Thomas Müller converted to make it 2-0. Keeper Kevin Jackmuth, who had forced Sobiech into the tactical foul by charging out of his area too hastily, did supply an acrobatic save of a Costa effort to prevent it from being 3-0 shortly before half-time.
Heavy substitutions from both sides impeded match flow after the break. Flick gave first-team debuts to junior-level players Angelo Stiller, Armindo Sieb, and (much later) Daniels Ontuzans. Jan Fiete Arp also saw his first action for the Bayern Bundesliga side with 13 minutes of late relief.
Wave after wave of Bayern attack might have seen a higher scoreline. Choupo-Moting saw a sure goal cleared off the line in the 63rd and Musiala hit the post one minute later. The former Schalke striker would eventually convert in 75th with a powerful shot from just inside the 18. Choupo-Moting's brace put the issue beyond all doubt.
Roca and Javi Martinez saw some late efforts just miss. The latter hit the post in the 85th.