FC Bayern Munich remains the ultimate – and raises fears that the Bundesliga will have a one-sided title race. The record champions defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-1 (1-0) thanks to impressive goals from Harry Kane (22nd minute) and Michael Olise (79th minute), BVB’s goal by Julian Brandt (85th minute) came too late.
It was the first time since April 1, 2023 that the so-called “classic” was also the duel between the first and second teams in the Bundesliga. Nominally, it’s a top game, a showdown between two heavyweights – but initially it was a fight between two teams who fought in completely different weight classes. Because FC Bayern performed at the beginning of the evening as they have so often done in the outstanding first weeks of the season.
Only Kobel can slow down FC Bayern
From the kick-off, the record champions and league leaders showed tremendous dominance. Niko Kovac had positioned the Dortmund team more defensively than usual; he removed a striker in order to strengthen the central midfield with a third man. But none of that helped. Bayern immediately pressed and combined with great confidence through the BVB bulwark. Gregor Kobel had to save against Joshua Kimmich for the first time in the 3rd minute – more times were to follow.
Bayern’s strength also lay in the fact that Kane not only acted as a goalscorer, but also as a playmaker in his own half. The striker initiated a double chance with a dribble in his own penalty area, opening up the entire field. A great attack followed, at the end of which Kobel first fended off Michael Olise’s shot and then Luis Diaz’s follow-up shot (11th).
Kane pushes Guirassy and heads to take the lead
BVB couldn’t stop the Bavarian roller, but somehow managed to keep a clean sheet. But Vincent Kompany’s team not only masters the art of football during the ongoing game, but also the art of the ball at rest. And one of those led to the lead: Kane headed in from close range after a corner from Kimmich to make it 1-0 (22′). But the goal certainly caused discussion.
Bayern’s Harry Kane makes it 1-0
In the aerial duel between the two teams, Kane easily pushed Serhou Guirassy away with both hands and thus gained the decisive space. Supposedly harmless, but since both were high in the air, the Dortmund player had no chance of maintaining his position, meaning Kane gained a momentous advantage – but the referee team didn’t see any reason to disallow the goal. Not wrong, but worth talking about. But even Nico Schlotterbeck said on “Sky”: “For me it’s within the rules.”
Dortmund were initially happy about the result, then reacted
The dominant performance from FC Bayern, who more than deserved the lead, was still worth talking about. And despite the supposed dissatisfaction over the unpunished Kane push, the result must have been the fact of the game that BVB had to be happy with at halftime. Because Olise hit the post (36th) and Diaz and Kimmich missed a top double chance for Bayern (40th).
BVB remained without a shot on goal for 48 minutes and 27 seconds – and then they almost equalized. After a free kick from Julian Ryerson, Felix Nmecha had a header from five meters, but he put it just past Manuel Neuer’s goal (49′). The starting signal for a more balanced game than the first completely one-sided first half?
In fact, Dortmund was now much better in the game and, above all, managed to keep FC Bayern away from their own goal. Guirassy then even had BVB’s first opportunity of the game, but his shot from ten meters was way too high (58′). Then Dayot Upamecano was able to block a shot from Karim Adeyemi at the last moment (62′).
BVB is close to equalizing, then Bellingham hesitates a little too long
For one half it was a show of strength from FC Bayern, but with the half-time whistle the Kompany team’s dominance ended. The lead was shaky, but a slip prevented it from falling. Kimmich made a serious mistake after which Adeyemi had a free shot, but lost his balance, shot against his leg and fell to the ground – BVB missed a huge chance to equalize at this moment (65′).
Dortmund worked on the turnaround, but then almost made the decision themselves. Kane initiated the game again with an outstanding pass across the field and sent Diaz, whose cross was stopped by Jobe Bellingham about a meter from the goal line – but Olise ran right into the path of the Dortmund player’s attempt to clear the ball and into the goal (78′). Bayern pushed and shoved their way to a 2-0 lead.
Brandt scores too late, FC Bayern before the perfect dozen
And ultimately victory. But he was in danger again after Brandt scored the next goal from close range with his first touch of the ball a few seconds after coming on as a substitute (85′). In the end, BVB was left with the realization that their performance had improved significantly in the second half, but the bottom line was their first defeat of this Bundesliga season. As they are now fourth in the table, the Kovac team has also lost their status as Bayern’s pursuers for the time being.
The question, however, is whether Munich (five points ahead of RB Leipzig) even has a pursuer. In the Bundesliga there were seven wins in seven games, overall it was the eleventh success in the eleventh competitive game. Next Wednesday, Bayern want to complete the dozen in the Champions League against FC Bruges (9 p.m.), while BVB should get back on the road to success the day before at FC Copenhagen (9 p.m.).