With great difficulty, FC Bayern Munich averted another setback at feared opponents Borussia Mönchengladbach.
A late goal by Mathys Tel (87th minute) gave the football record champions their third win in three games in a 2-1 (0-1) win in the Bundesliga classic. This was achieved through a show of strength in the second half against passionately fighting Borussia, who had taken the lead through Ko Itakura (30th minute).
Leroy Sané (58th) and substitute Tel turned the game around after the break and made Bayern’s first win in over four years at Borussia Park perfect.
Müller: “Worth deserved win”
“In the second half we changed a bit and then we had our foot on the gas pedal and we deserved to win,” said Thomas Müller after his starting eleven premiere this season on the pay TV channel Sky: “Today is a smile on my face. I thought it was fun too.”
However, it was not expected that Munich would initially have problems on the Lower Rhine again, given the personnel developments of both teams. Where Borussia had often played unleashed against Bayern in recent years, Gladbach was under pressure early on this time. After the departure of long-time top performers Lars Stindl, Jonas Hofmann, Ramy Bensebaini and Marcus Thuram, the loss of quality in the game is unmistakable.
Kane and Mueller largely harmless
But unlike last week’s 0:3 against Leverkusen, Borussia coach Gerardo Seoane saw a passionately defending and fighting Gladbach team this time, which Bayern found hard to beat for a long time. Mega-star Harry Kane remained largely ineffective, and World Champion Müller’s first-time nomination for the starting eleven this season had hardly any effect. The 33-year-old was substituted in the 69th minute. The offensive remained too unimaginative and harmless. After the end of the transfer period, the defensive was identified as a weak point for Bayern.
Before the game on Sky, Thomas Tuchel was “very sad” that the planned commitment of defensive midfielder João Palhinha from Fulham FC had failed. “He’s thinner than before. It’s a little thin, a little less,” was the coach’s general assessment of the Bayern squad, who had also given up five defenders but only signed three.
Omlin replacement Nicolas performing well
The problem, however, was rather the lack of penetrating power in attack. The passionate Borussia were only dangerous with set pieces. Marvin Friedrich headed the ball against the crossbar after a free kick (25′). Five minutes later, Itakura also headed Borussia ahead from a corner. Bayern’s fear of their feared opponent was palpable afterwards.
Bayern only had their first real chance to score in the 39th minute when Sané shot the crossbar. It was also the national player who equalized for Bayern after the break and overcame Gladbach’s reserve goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas for the first time. The 25-year-old was only making his second appearance in the Bundesliga as regular keeper and captain Jonas Omlin is currently out with a shoulder injury.
Again and again Nicolas was the center of attention in the second round against angry Bayern attacking and partially parried brilliantly. It was telling that Bayern’s winning goal came from a corner.
