Bayern overcome Dortmund to clinch Supercup

FC Bayern beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 to clinch the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on Saturday night. Nathaniel Brown and Michael Olise scored for Bayern before half-time. Fábio Silva pulled one back with a quarter-hour to go, but Ramy Bensebaini saw a red card in the closing stages and Munich went on to seal the first title of the season.

Munich started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Josip Stanišić, Jonathan Tah, Minjae Kim and Konrad Laimer in defence. Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlović anchored a midfield featuring Olise, Brown and Luis Díaz, with Harry Kane up front. Alphonso Davies, Ismael Saibari and Tom Bischof took over from Stanišić, Brown and Díaz in the second half.

First-half dominance

The two sides spent the first ten minutes feeling each other out before Bayern asserted their authority, although Serhou Guirassy fired over. Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel denied Díaz and Kane, but Munich took the lead when Kimmich’s long ball found Olise, who laid off for Brown to slot home.

Olise saw a shot deflected behind and Stanišić aimed too high. Kobel made a fine save against Díaz before Julian Ryerson’s cross found the back of the net, but the goal was chalked off for offside. Brown and Olise miscued, but the latter doubled the lead shortly before half-time, beating Kobel to crown a fine solo run.

On tenterhooks

It was a more balaned affair after the restart. Giannis Konstantelias saw a volley deflected behind and Konstantinos Karetsas’ deflected shot forced a strong save from Neuer. Kane fired over before clear-cut chances were at a premium for a spell, with both sides solid at the back.

Silva crowned fine BVB interplay to pull one back. Bayern went looking for a reply and Kane fired inches wide before Laimer miscued. Kobel proved equal to a Pavlović effort and saved from Olise. Neuer soon lost the ball to Jobe Bellingham but clawed it away. Bensebaini earned his marching orders for a challenge on Saibari. Maximilian Beier soon had only Neuer to beat but blasted over as Bayern saw out the storm and won their 12^th Supercup title.

Vincent Kompany’s team will be back in action next Friday when they entertain VfB Stuttgart in the Bundesliga opening fixture.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen