If the Bundesliga leaders expect to finish fourth, that’s a great game. In the duel between FC Bayern and Union Berlin, only Munich played.
In front of 75,000 spectators in the arena, Harry Kane (15th minute/51st) and Kingsley Coman (43rd) scored Bayern’s undoubted victory in the 3-0 victory. Coach Vincent Kompany’s side remain unbeaten leaders with 23 points, while the Union slipped to sixth.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany expressed his satisfaction: “It wasn’t easy either. The first half was unpleasant. But we stayed calm and there was always a chance to decide the game. The second half was very good.”
Christoph Nahr, Sportschau, November 2, 2024 6:46 pm
It was the second consecutive defeat for coach Bo Svensson’s team; during the week the ”Iron” suffered a great 0-2 cup victory at the third division club Armini Bielefeld. Bayern, for their part, won 4-0 with 1. FSV Mainz 05.
Despite the defeat, Union Berlin coach Bo Svensson was not unhappy with his team’s performance: “My team did everything. It did everything. It made it very, very difficult for Bayern in the first half.” However, he decided that the punishment was not necessary. “If you want to bring something, you can’t make mistakes like that,” he said.
The Union side have only conceded five goals in the current Bundesliga season – that’s certainly an announcement. So Berlin’s tactics in Munich were as clear as day. They wanted to stay close at the back and look for their chances up front in transition periods. But the defensively strong United were no match for Bayern’s concentrated attacks.
Bayern were in control from the start
Because it put lowly Berliners under pressure from the start. Before the opening goal, Benedict Hollerbach only knew how to help himself in a duel with Michael Olise with a foul on the left penalty line, Kane converted the penalty as usual.
Bayern continued and kept Köpenickers busy almost entirely in their own half. Running the ball and their opponents at will, the United could not get a chance against Bayern, who were confident of the ball. Meanwhile, the Munich team had about 80 percent possession of the ball and received about 90 percent of the passes.
Union breaks free briefly, Bayern scores
Right in the middle of this consolidation phase in Berlin, the score was 2-0 shortly before the break. Things went very quickly over the left. Alphonso Davies drove the ball forward, passed it to Kane, who released it to Kingsley Coman, leaving Union keeper Frederik Rönnow no chance in front of goal – a goal which the French played beautifully. We went into the break 2-0.
Kane Munich with a brace
After half time it only took six minutes for the third goal. Again it was Kane who made a nice combination filtering through Joshua Kimmich, Raphael Guerreiro and Coman. For the English it was goal number eleven of the season.
The reason things didn’t get worse for the Union was that Kompany moved around cheerfully and Bayern also significantly shifted down a gear. The Berliners also did everything they could to ensure that the result was not completely out of hand. They didn’t play a bad game defensively, they couldn’t cope with Bayern.
Bayern in Hamburg, Union Berlin against Freiburg
After the two defeats Aston Villa (0:1) and FC Barcelona (1:4), the team from Munich must achieve a second victory in the new league system next Wednesday in the Champions League at home against Benfica Lisbon. Because internationally, Bayern are under pressure.
In the Bundesliga, Bayern travel to FC St. Pauli the next day (November 9, 2024, 3:30 pm). The day before, Union Berlin welcomes SC Freiburg (8:30 pm).
Facing Freiburg next week
Looking ahead, Bayern Munich will travel to Hamburg for their next match, while Union Berlin aims to bounce back as they host Freiburg. Both teams have goals to achieve, with Bayern looking to maintain their lead in the Bundesliga and Union seeking to recover from their recent defeats.
The tension will be palpable as the teams prepare. Bayern, buoyed by their strong performance against Union, will aim to build momentum, while Union will need to address their recent struggles and find a way to capitalize on their defensive solidity to secure points.
With the league heating up, every match is crucial, and both teams will feel the pressure to perform. Fans can expect a display of determination and strategy as the Bundesliga season progresses.