German Supercup: Lewandowski double-sinks Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund 1-3 Bayern Munich, Signal-Iduna Park
(Reus 64' — Lewandowski 41', 74', Müller 50')

It’s not exactly the Champions League, but Julian Nagelsmann has got the monkey off his back. The German Supercup becomes the coach’s first trophy on the same night that he oversaw his first victory with his new club – and surely it’ll be the first of many.

This helter-skelter, full-blooded Klassiker contest bodes well for the rest of the Bundesliga season. Nagelsmann and his opposite number, Marco Rose, have enjoyed several intense and high-quality battles at their previous clubs, and this one served up a treat too.

Played at a furious pace, it quite easily could have been 4-4, and was a game of breathless attacking more than defensive pragmatism. Manuel Neuer made a key save from Marco Reus, effective in a more central role, but in the end, the conclusion was the same as we often see between these two rivals: a Bayern win.

The visitors took the lead four minutes before the break through Lewandowski’s thumping header, the Pole timing his run perfectly to meet Serge Gnabry’s lofted ball from the left. And on a night when the lateBayern Munich legend Gerd Müller was honored by both teams and fans, it was fitting that Bayern’s modern Müller found the net, pouncing from close range after good work by Alphonso Davies.

Dortmund’s candle flickered when Reus swept a beautiful shot into the net to halve Bayern’s advantage, but the man who started the scoring finished it soon after, with Lewandowski capitalizing on another individual error by Dortmund – this time Manuel Akanji – to make it a night to remember for Bayern and Nagelsmann.

As it happened:

GOAL! Dortmund 1-3 Bayern — Lewandowski again!

Bayern Munich have surely wrapped up the Supercup again. Akanji makes ther mistake, letting Lewandowski in — and the Pole simply doesn't miss easy chances like that. A real hammer blow for Dortmund, who were pushing for an equalizer.

GOAL! Dortmund 1-2 Bayern — Rolls Reus!

Dortmund are back in it and it's a sensational strike by Marco Reus. Jude Bellingham lays it up to Reus, who doesn't break stride as he bends a delightful shot inside Neuer's left-hand post. A beauty by the Dortmund captain.

West-Malen-stadion

New Borussia Dortmund winger Donyell Malen is on the field, replacing Youssoufa Moukoko, who had his moments but has faded since the restart. Marco Rose hopes to provide more support for Haaland by throwing Malen, Jadon Sancho's replacement, into the action for the final 30 minutes or so.

GOAL! Dortmund 0-2 Bayern — Müller at the double!

It's fitting that a Bayern player named Müller gets on the scoresheet tonight, and Bayern have doubled their lead right at the start of the second half courtesy of Thomas. Alphonso Davies delivers the cross from the left and Lewandowski flicks it on for Müller taps it into the empty net. Bayern cruising!

Halbzeit!

That's the first half done and dusted and Bayern lead. It's been a feisty, absorbing and tempestuous contest and Bayern deserve their lead — but Dortmund have looked dangerous too. A very fun half of football.

GOAL! Dortmund 0-1 Bayern — Lewandowski!

Bayern have the lead! Gnabry collects the ball on the left, Dortmund's weakest link, and he whips in a cross that Lewandowski meets on the run and slams his header into the back of the net. No chance for Gregor Kobel. Bayern lead a few minutes before the break.

Off the line!

That was close! Kimmich catches Dortmund cold with a cute freekick to Müller, whose effort is blocked by Haaland and the follow-up effort by Lewandowski is blocked on the line by Axel Witsel. Dortmund living dangerously, but they're holding firm in the face of some pretty constant Bayern pressure. Moukoko then puts the ball in the net at the other end — but he's offside.

Reus making noise

So so close to the opener — and it was a Dortmund chance. Jude Bellingham threads a beautiful pass into the path of Dortmund captain Marco Reus, whose shot was heading towards the bottom corner — but Neuer pulls off a fine save low down with his right boot. Seems like a perfect time for this... 

Bayern wastemen

Bayern Munich could and probably should be two or three goals ahead by now. Kingsley Coman the latest player to spaff a chance from close range after Dortmund had been carved open.

Passlack's backpass

Felix Passlack makes a howler, selling Kobel short with his backpass. Gnabry nips in and picks out Lewandowski with a cross, but the Pole can't quite get the contact he wants on his header. Dortmund eventually clear and immediately launch a counter-attack through Haaland, who finds Moukoko — but Bayern are able to recover. A thrilling passage of play. In fact, it's been a high-tempo and absorbing opening. 

Showtime!

Following a minute's applause for Gerd Müller — and a lovely touch by Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski and Manuel Neuer holding Gerd's shirts aloft — we're up and running in a wet Dortmund. Just a reminder that this game will go directly to a penalty shootout if the score is level after 90 minutes. No extra time here.

Gerd Müller honoured

Bayern Munich's players are warming up in Dortmund and each of them are wearing '9 Müller' on their backs in tribute of the the late, great former Bayern striker. 'Der Bomber' adorned the Bayern shirt for 15 glorious years, scoring 566 goals in 607 appearances — still a club record. Müller was one of Germany's greatest ever players.

You can read more on Gerd Müller's remarkable career here.

Sane benched for Bayern

Bayern Munich look pretty much as expected. Leroy Sane has only made the bench though, with Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry preferred each side of Thomas Müller. 

Experimental Dortmund XI

So Borussia Dortmund are trialling what appears to be an experimental starting XI given that a few players are unavailable for Marco Rose tonight. How they will line up precisely remains to be seen, but we may see Axel Witsel drop back to form a central defensive partnership with Manuel Akanji, with Marco Reus tucking in behind a front two of Erling Haaland and Youssoufa Moukoko. There's a deeper role for Gio Reyna too. 

Previous meetings

Tuesday's clash will be the eighth meeting of these two sides since the Supercup's inception in 2010. Bayern have won three of the last four, but Dortmund will have a chance to level the overall trophy haul at four apiece with victory on home soil. BVB won all three Supercup ties on home soil against Bayern.

Season so far: Borussia Dortmund

Despite the loss of Jadon Sancho, his partner-in-crime, Erling Haaland, has started the season in fine form. The 20-year-old produced unstoppable performances  in the German Cup against Wehen Wiesbaden and on Saturday in the 5-2 rout of Frankfurt, racking up five goals and three assists. Dortmund have started as they mean to go on.

From the coach's mouth: Marco Rose

"Every game is an indicator. We want to show that we're here and ready for this season. It's a prestigious game against Bayern, and you can win a title, so you have try to win it. If you look at the last few years, you know that you want to work here to compete for titles in both the short and long term. That's why I came here." 

Fun fact!

Haaland has been involved in every goal Borussia Dortmund have scored in the 2021/22 campaign. The Norwegian continues to score at an unprecdented rate having notched 62 goals in 61 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund. It wasn't his goals that got tongues wagging after the defeat of Frankfurt though... 

Season so far: Bayern Munich

Nagelsmann admitted that the trip to Gladbach wasn't the "ideal match" to open the season after Bayern's German Cup first-round tie against fifth-tier Bremer SV was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak. Teething issues were to be expected after a winless preseason disrupted by injuries and late returnees, but Nagelsmann will need to smooth the edges out quickly. 

From the coach's mouth: Julian Nagelsmann

"It would be great for our first trophy of the season to come with our first win. It's an important game against a side who've started the league strongly. Of course, we will do everything we can to get that win — it would be a great feeling." 

Tribute: Gerd Müller

"The greatest striker there has ever been" sadly passed away on the weekend as the world of football mourned the loss of Gerd Müller. A tribute will be made to the former Bayern striker, who, despite Robert Lewandowski's best efforts, still has a host of Bundesliga records to his name. 

Possible lineup: Dortmund

Kobel - Passlack, Witsel, Akanji, Schulz - Bellingham, Dahoud, Reyna - Reus - Malen, Haaland

Possible lineup: Bayern

Neuer - Stanisic, Süle, Upamecano, Davies - Kimmich, Goretzka - Coman, Müller, Gnabry - Lewandowski