BERLIN, Aug 26: Bayern Munich’s bid to wrest Bundesliga honors back from Bayer Leverkusen started Sunday with a hard-fought 3-2 win at Wolfsburg.
Serge Gnabry scored the winning goal late after Bayern allowed Wolfsburg to come from behind to lead 2-1 early in the second half.
Vincent Kompany made his league debut as coach, and Michael Olise started for his, but it was an old Bayern favourite who made the difference as Thomas Müller went on as a substitute for his club record-setting 474th Bundesliga appearance.
The 34-year-old Müller had an immediate effect after going on in the 65th minute, when the unfortunate Jakub Kaminski scored an own-goal to draw Bayern level after a corner.
Müller was involved again when Gnabry scored the winner in the 82nd, sending the ball on for Harry Kane to set up Gnabry.
Wolfsburg made the better start, denying the visitors time on the ball, but Bayern gradually settled and Jamal Musiala broke the deadlock in the 20th when Sacha Boey eased past Kaminski on the right and cut the ball back. Kaminski, a midfielder, was forced to play out of position because of Wolfsburg injuries.
Bayern went on to dominate the rest of the half, but Wolfsburg found a way back when Boey fouled Tiago Tomás right after the break. Boey was booked, and Lovro Majer duly equalized from the penalty spot.
Majer struck the post shortly afterward as the home team pushed on, then Patrick Wimmer won the ball from Kim Min-jae to set Majer up for his and Wolfsburg’s second goal in the 55th.
“I do want to put forward the outstanding mentality of the team,” Kompany said of his team’s response.
“We can’t forget performance, and mistakes is one thing, but how do you react after your mistakes? After the mistakes, I didn’t feel like the team was feeling sorry. It was just a difficult game. But we got the goals because we created the chances and that remained throughout the game. Yeah, tough game, tough away game, but in the end, a very good win.”
St. Pauli’s disappointing return
St. Pauli’s return to the top division after a 13-year absence was spoiled somewhat by a 2-0 defeat at home to Heidenheim.
The second-division champion had enjoyed the better chances and looked more likely to score before Paul Wanner – a Bayern player on loan at Heidenheim – fired in the opener on a counterattack from a corner in the 66th. Jan Schöppner sealed the visitors’ win in the 82nd. (AP)
