On Sunday, FC Bayern faced SV Elversberg on the road in the Bundesliga. At the Kaiserlinde, the newly promoted team wanted to trip up the record champions, just as Schalke had managed to do last week.
Bayern rotated their lineup a bit for this match; among others, Manuel Neuer, Luis Diaz, and Joshua Kimmich were on the bench. Coach Vincent Kompany has been trying to make full use of the entire roster early on in the season.
Elversberg proved to be a tenacious opponent,
Bayern in control, Karl scores
Right from the start of the match, Elversberg showed exactly what makes this team special. The intensity was high, and FC Bayern was repeatedly put under pressure even as they built up play. Bayern’s first shot, by Harry Kane, was blocked, and a sharp cross from Karl was also deflected by a defender’s leg. Aleksandar Pavlovic took the next shot after ten minutes, but missed the goal.
Bayern clearly had more possession and were dominant, but a counterattack by Elversberg after 16 minutes created the first real danger. Minjae Kim managed to clear a powerful cross, but it hit the outside of his own net. Shortly afterward, Bayern launched a quick attack after winning the ball high up the field, but Noah Darvich narrowly missed the ball at the end. Twenty minutes had elapsed when Karl finally got a shot off, but his finish was too central.
After Elversberg’s spirited spell, Bayern stepped up the pace again. In the 27th minute, Ismael Saibari made a strong run down the left and crossed the ball into the middle. Kane couldn’t get it on target, but Karl took advantage at the far post and scored to make it 1–0! Bayern then switched to a more controlled approach, though the record champions didn’t take any major risks.
Shortly before halftime, Elversberg equalized after Cole Campbell suddenly found himself one-on-one with Jonas Urbig. However, the assistant referee’s flag went up. It was a very close call; the play was reviewed, but in the end, the decision stood. Then it was time for halftime.
Krattenmacher and Kane with spectacular goals
FC Bayern started the second half without any substitutions, while Elversberg brought on former Bayern player Maurice Krattenmacher to bolster their attack. A cross from Brown in the 49th minute created the first real danger, but no one in the box was able to capitalize on it. Bayern sometimes failed to finish their own attacks with enough focus; a shot by Kane in the 51st minute missed the goal. Elversberg now pressed higher up the field at key moments, disrupting Bayern’s build-up play more effectively.
After an hour, events unfolded rapidly. First, Kane scored from an offside position to make it 0–2—which, of course, didn’t count—then, of all people, Krattenmacher scored with a curling shot into the corner to tie the game at 1–1. It was a perfect finish. Coach Kompany reacted by bringing on Luis Diaz, Joshua Kimmich, and Alphonso Davies. Diaz was immediately in the thick of the action, receiving a good pass from Olise, but he was too flashy in front of the goal. He tried to finish with a backheel, but that was a step too far.
A short time later, Olise tried his luck himself, but his shot was blocked by the Elversberg defense. The Frenchman was really turning up the heat now, and one of his chip shots hit the crossbar. In the 73rd minute, however, Bayern finally scored. After a great ball recovery by Stanisic, the attack moved quickly; Kane was played through, got himself into a shooting position, and fired a powerful shot into the right corner.
There were now chances on both sides. A shot by Futkeu in a scramble went just wide, and Elversberg managed to block shots from Pavlovic and Kane. Kimmich also had a go, shooting from distance. His deflected shot was dangerous but was saved. The ensuing corner was blocked twice; eventually, Davies shot wide of the goal, though again by a hair. In the end, the record champions—who didn’t let Elversberg get a touch of the ball in the closing stages—held on for the narrow and crucial victory.