FC Bayern 1-0 Manchester United
Goal: 1-0 Martinez (59')
FC Bayern celebrated the unveiling of the newly decorated Allianz Arena with a commanding victory over English giants Manchester United thanks to Javi Martinez’s second half header. The clash between the record champions of Germany and England was played as part of the Telekom Sport Trophy and served as the last major test for both sides ahead of the new season.
Bayern controlled the play from the off and quickly created the first chance through midfielder Thiago as he latched onto a cut-back from Joshua Kimmich, but he was denied by his compatriot David de Gea in the United goal. The Spanish goalkeeper would twice more come to the visitors’ rescue when he held Serge Gnabry’s shot low to his left and then reacted well to collect Niklas Süle’s twice deflected effort. Even a drinks break because of the evening heat in Munich failed to break Bayern’s first-half rhythm. Franck Ribery had another chance free at the far post, but the veteran Frenchman fluffed his lines. Captain Manuel Neuer, playing his first match at the Allianz Arena since 16 September 2017, was little more than a spectator as Mats Hummels shadowed English teenager Marcus Rashford to perfection, coming out on top each time United tried to break forward.
Niko Kovac, taking charge of Bayern on home turf for the first time, made three changes at the break, bringing on Jerome Boateng and Robert Lewandowski for their first appearances of pre-season, and Leon Goretzka for his FCB debut. It was fellow debutant Gnabry, however, who almost got the second 45 minutes off to the perfect start when he ran through the United defence, but fired straight at De Gea. Goretzka then headed over from a corner just moments after the English side’s most threatening attack of the game, but Bayern would soon take the lead from a corner when Martinez rose highest and flicked the ball inside the far post on the hour mark. The Bavarians remained well in control until the close, with substitutions disrupting the flow of the game. Arjen Robben thought he had a second in the dying seconds, but the effort was ruled out for offside against the Dutchman.
Bayern now return to their training camp on Tegernsee and have one more friendly against local side FC Rottach-Egern on Wednesday before kicking off the 2018/19 season with the Supercup against coach Kovac's former side Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
Charlie Mason reporting from the Allianz Arena for fcbayern.com
FC Bayern
Neuer - Kimmich (Rudy 72'), Süle, Hummels (Boateng 46'), Alaba (Bernat 56') - Martinez - Robben, Thiago (Rafinha 60'), Müller (Goretzka 46'), Ribery (Lewandowski 46') - Gnabry (Coman 60')
Unused subs
Ulreich, Hoffmann, Mai, Zylly, Frantzke
Manchester United
De Gea (Grant 78') - Darmian (Jones 65'), Lindelof (Tuanzebe 78'), Bailly (Smalling 51'), Shaw (Mitchell 78') - Fred (Chong 78'), Pereira, Herrera (Garner 82') - Mata (McTominay 65'), Rashford (Fosu-Mensah 65'), Alexis
Unused subs
Greenwood
Referee
Robert Hartmann
Attendance
75,000
Yellow cards
Boateng (69') / -
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