Bayern Munich opens new season with a win over Wolfsburg 2-0

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Showing supreme professionalism and remarkable early-season freshness,  Bayern made light of their tricky summer with a hard-earned but merited 2-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg in Friday night’s official 2014/15 Bundesliga season opener.

The 71,137 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena saw Pep Guardiola’s team hit their stride after a 20-minute settling-in period and take a 37th-minute lead courtesy of Thomas Müller’s classic poacher’s finish. Arjen Robben doubled the lead with a fine solo effort immediately after the restart but FCB old boy Ivica Olic cracked a shot past Manuel Neuer to cut the arrears on 52 minutes. The contest boiled up to a frenetic finish with chances at both ends but the Reds held on for an important victory.

The double winners return to action away to Schalke in next Saturday’s second league fixture, before the domestic programme takes a fortnight’s breather for the first international break of the new season.

Debuts for Lewa, Bernat and Gaudino

Guardiola’s starting line-up included all the club’s fit and eligible World Cup winners, plus an emotional return to the Bundesliga fray for Holger Badstuber after a 20-month injury absence. There were top flight debuts in a Munich shirt for summer signings Juan Bernat and Robert Lewandowski, while surprise starter Gianluca Gaudino became the fourth-youngest player ever to represent FCB in the top flight at the age of 17 years, nine months and 11 days.

FCB were without the suspended Jerome Boateng, and injury victims Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribery, Rafinha, Javi Martinez and Thiago, but the customary long bench included new backup keeper Pepe Reina in his first squad appearance for the Reds, fellow summer arrival Sebastian Rode, US starlet Julian Green, and another youngster with a famous father, Lucas Scholl.

The champions started with Neuer in goal and – unlike most of the pre-season friendlies – four rather than three at the back, namely Bernat, Badstuber, Dante and captain Philipp Lahm. David Alaba and Gaudino began in defensive midfield, with Müller, Mario Götze and Robben looking to supply centre-forward Lewandowski.

VfL boss Dieter Hecking’s line-up included ex-FCB men Luiz Gustavo and Olic, plus former Bayern youth Max Grün in goal as the stand-in for regular keeper Diego Benaglio (flu).

Wolfsburg too much for Berlin

Wolfsburg midfielder Diego ecstatic after completing the penalty shot

Wolfsburg beat Hertha Berlin BSC in the latest Bundesliga match ups.  The early minutes shows to be promising as both teams display solid plays.  Berlin was poised to make the opening goal as less than two minutes into the game, Fabian Lustenberger stole possession and passed it to Adrian Ramos at the center. Ramos then flicks the ball to Ben Hatira on the right who made a cross.  Fellow Tunisian Sam Allagui latch on to the ball but his shot just went too high from the cross bar. 

Berlin had another chance to get ahead in the 29' as Ben Hatira made a long ball to Adrian Ramos who made a bouncing header but which unfortunately cleared the crossbar for the second time.  That seems to be the last of Berlin's brilliant opportunities as it becomes Wolfsburg show from there. 

Wolfsburg first opportunity came in 34' as Ricardo Rodriguez issues a cross to Diego whose shot missed a few inches from the bottom right corner.  Wolfsburg frustration did not last long.  In the 42nd minute, Naldo made what it seemed to be a pass which found its way into the waiting Ivica Olic who dutifully slide to send the ball home.  

Wolfsburg added another goal in injury time of the first half. Verinha found Christian Trasch to the right who then fired a cross which was deflected by John Anthony Brooks. The deflection however landed on Diego who fell from Brooks tackle inside the penalty box. Diego coolly made the penalty as Wolfsburg lead seems good enough to earn three points for the night. 

The second half is more of Wolfsburg show with some occasional brilliant opportunities for Berlin. In the 50th minute, Wolfsburg's Koo Jae Chool hesitated after breaking away from goalkeeper Kraft. Instead shooting for the net, Chool decided to make cross which found Diego but whose header went just outside the net.  Six minutes later Verinha's cross from the right found Olic but a timely sliding tackle from Fabian Lustenberger prevented what could have been Wolfsburg's third goal.  Verinha again almost added another goal as his close shot was parried by Kraft in the 85th minute. 

The game ended by high drama as Berlin lost two opportunities to salvage a goal.  Adrian Ramos found Roony with enough space whose close range shot was saved by Benaglio.  The deflection went to Ramos who again fired the shot but blocked by Naldo.  Naldo's block landed on teammate Tim Klose who almost made an own goal if not for Naldo's game winning block at the end of regulation.