Kimmich scores lucky late goal to snatch 3-2 win for Bayern

Boris Rupert reporting from Munich

Playing in front of empty stands, both teams delivered an attractive game of attacking football. The Bavarians were the more clinical of the two sides and thus went into the dressing room at half-time with a 2-1 lead thanks to goals from Tolisso and Müller. Brandt had pulled one back for BVB six minutes before the break after Bayern stormed to a 2-0 lead. Ten minutes after the interval, the two sides were level at 2-2 thanks to a Haaland goal. But in the end it was the home side who lifted the trophy after a somewhat lucky goal from Kimmich with eight minutes to go. 

The scenario: 

Champions of Germany versus the runners-up. The Black & Yellows had previously lifted the Supercup in 1989, 1995, 1996, 2008, 2013, 2014 and, most recently, 2019. Bayern had eight Supercup wins to their name (most recently in 2018) and thus one more than BVB. 

Personnel matters: 
The list of absentees was extensive, with Bürki, Sancho, Hazard, Zagadou, Schmelzer, Morey and Raschl all unavailable. Playing three days before the upcoming game in Freiburg and four after the defeat in Augsburg, Lucien Favre opted to make six changes to his side: Hitz, Delaney, Dahoud, Passlack, Brandt and Reus moved into the starting line-up to replace Bürki, Witsel, Bellingham, Guerreiro, Reyna and Sancho.

Tactics:  
The Black & Yellows lined up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, which morphed into a high-pressing 5-4-1 when Bayern were in possession. Bayern played in a 4-3-3, with Martinez as the deep-lying midfielder behind the more advanced Kimmich and Tolisso.

The match & analysis:
Borussia were the more active of the two teams in the first half, regularly putting the home side under pressure and forcing them into giving the ball away in sometimes perilous positions. Unfortunately, the Black & Yellows weren't quite clinical enough to capitalise on these opportunities. However, they did come very close to opening the scoring in the 17th minute: Reus fired a shot from the left of the box, which Hernandez was just able to get in the way of to deflect the ball away for a corner via the side-netting. 

Bayern defended the resulting corner and then launched a high-speed counter-attack: the ball came to Lewandowski at the edge of the box, who squared it to Tolisso. Hitz did extremely well to save the initial shot, but luck wouldn't go his way: the ball bounced back off the underside of the bar and straight into the path of the grateful Tolisso, who poked home to make it 1-0.

Borussia didn't let their heads drop and looked to find a quick response. Dahoud tried his luck from distance in the 21st minute, but his effort ended up flying well wide of the mark. Three minutes later, Reus found an opening. At first it looked like he had missed his chance to shoot, but the occasion presented itself again from around 11 metres out and he managed to force Neuer into a good save.

With the Black & Yellows pressing hard for an equaliser, Bayern attacked down the right-wing. Tolisso soon switched the play out left towards Davies, who played a precise cross into the box. Müller launched himself at it and sent a powerful header into the back of the net to give Bayern a 2-0 lead in the 32nd minute. 

The visitors from Dortmund continued to attack - and soon they would find their reward. Harried by Black & Yellow jerseys down the right wing, Pavard gave the ball away. It soon arrived at the feet of Haaland, who passed it on to Brandt. The Germany international made no mistake in firing the ball home from 16 metres out to bring the score to 2-1 (39). The goal was more than deserved for BVB.

Two minutes after the break, Borussia blew a big chance to draw level: Dahoud played a neat pass through to Meunier, who stormed into the Bayern box before blasting his shot over the bar. Borussia continued to push. Akanji stole the ball from Lewandowski in midfield and played it to Delaney, who slipped an inch-perfect through ball between the two central-defenders and into the path of Haaland, who finished calmly to make it 2-2 in the 55th minute. The Norwegian almost had a quick brace to celebrate: in the 59th minute, he received a Reus pass and drilled a shot with his left foot which Neuer was able to get a hand to. 

The last 20 minutes saw Bayern raise their game in search of a winner. The red shirts enjoyed long spells of possession deep in Dortmund territory. In the end, the decisive moment came from a Borussia mistake in midfield. Lewandowski pounced and played in Kimmich, who was initially denied by a brilliant save from Hitz. However, the ball deflected back towards the Bayern midfielder, who was able to propel it goalwards while stumbling over to bring the score to 3-2.  

Outlook:   
Borussia Dortmund host SC Freiburg at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday (kick-off 15:30 CET) in their last Bundesliga match before the international break. 

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