Bayern Munich celebrated a 4-0 victory over SSV Ulm in the German Cup, marking Vincent Kompany’s successful debut as manager. Thomas Müller scored twice, and Kingsley Coman and Harry Kane also scored. Joshua Kimmich excelled in midfield and expressed his desire for Leon Goretzka to stay with the team amid growing speculation about Goretzka’s future.
Bayern hands Kompany a victorious debut with an easy German Cup win
Bayern Munich kicked off the new season with a commanding 4-0 victory over second-division SSV Ulm in the German Cup, marking Vincent Kompany’s official debut as head coach.
Veteran Thomas Müller opened the scoring in the 12th minute and doubled his tally three minutes later.
The Bavarians added a third in a sluggish second half when Kingsley Coman slotted home a cross from new signing Michael Olise in the 79th minute, with substitute Harry Kane sealing a fourth with a header in stoppage time.
“Our game approach, our game idea, and behavior when with the ball were overall good. I feel good, not only with my body but also with the guys. I had fun in the game,” Müller told broadcasters Sky.
Ulm nearly took an early lead after just five minutes when a free-kick and a poor clearance by defender Minjae Kim landed at the feet of Maurice Krattenmacher. He unleashed a powerful shot, but it narrowly missed the target.
Ulm also had a potential penalty appeal when Serge Gnabry appeared to control the ball with his upper arm, but play was allowed to continue.
“We did well; we didn’t give them so many goal chances. We made their life difficult,” Ulm coach Thomas Wörle said.
Ulm’s goalkeeper, Christian Ortag, was forced off in the 37th minute after suffering a concussion from a collision with a teammate.
Kompany stepped in as Bayern’s head coach before the new season, succeeding Thomas Tuchel after the German giants went without a title for the first time in more than a decade.
He aims to guide Bayern deep into the tournament after the club endured surprising second-round eliminations in three of the last four seasons.
“We have to keep it going after getting out early in the past few seasons. We’ve been through a lot, but every season is a new one, and we always have ambitious goals,” Gnabry said.
Earlier, Hoffenheim faced a major scare to kick off the new season, needing penalties to overcome fourth-division Würzburger Kickers 5-3 and secure their place in the second round.
Kickers went ahead in the 11th minute, but Hoffenheim equalized when Ebrahim Farahnak inadvertently scored an own goal in the 18th minute.
They regained the lead in extra time with a goal from Moritz Hannemann. Still, Marius Bülter equalized for Hoffenheim, who clinched victory in the penalty shootout.
Meanwhile, St. Pauli and Mainz progressed after extra time.
Having fallen behind twice, St. Pauli secured a 3-2 victory with a goal from Lars Ritzka in the 110th minute. Meanwhile, Mainz triumphed 3-1 at Wehen Wiesbaden.
Defending champions Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart’s first-round matches have been rescheduled for the end of the month. They will face off in the Super Cup final on Saturday.
Stuttgart will play against Preussen Münster on August 27, while Leverkusen will visit Carl Zeiss Jena the following day.
Joshua Kimmich Shines in Bayern Munich’s 4-0 Win Over SSV Ulm, Wants Leon Goretzka to Stay
Kompany opted for a midfield pivot of Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlović, supported by a defense featuring Raphaël Guerreiro, Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-Jae, and Josip Stanišić. The attacking quartet comprised Müller, Serge Gnabry, Mathys Tel, and Jamal Musiala. Kimmich returned to midfield after spending much of the latter part of last season as a right back under Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann’s setup, and with Germany during EURO 2024.
For Bayern’s number 6, returning to his favored midfield role alongside Pavlović was undoubtedly a welcome change. However, after the match, he emphasized his readiness to contribute wherever the manager needs him. “I’ve always said that I try to enjoy myself on the pitch regardless of the position. Winning 4-0 makes everything better. The two quick goals provided the calm we needed. While not everything was perfect today, we were focused on winning and advancing to the next round,” he explained (via @iMiaSanMia).
With João Palhinha joining Bayern’s midfield, Leon Goretzka seems to be the odd one. He wasn’t included in the squad for the win over Ulm, and there’s growing speculation that he might leave the club before the summer transfer window closes.
When Kimmich was asked about his compatriot and teammate, he did not want to say too much other than how much he enjoys playing alongside him in midfield and that decisions made by the club are beyond his reach. “It’s not my decision. From a player’s point of view, I’d like to be with him on the pitch. Everyone knows that we’re good friends, so I feel a bit sorry for him. But as I said, it’s not my decision but the decision of the coach and the club. I don’t know about the talks they had,” Kimmich told ZDF (via @iMiaSanMia).
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