Vidal, Muller Lead Bayern to German Supercup Title

Arturo Vidal and Thomas Muller led Bayern Munich to victory on Sunday in the German Supercup against Borussia Dortmund in Carlo Ancelotti’s first real match as head coach.

Even though the Bundesliga doesn’t start for another 12 days, Sunday’s match between FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund gave fans a sneak peek of what to expect this season. The bitter rivalry and heated transfers added an extra flair to Carlo Ancelotti’s inaugural match, and showed that future matches between these teams will be intense and close affairs.

The heated transfers, one of the hot topics of the match, were Mats Hummels and Mario Gotze. Hummels played on the Dortmund side for seven years and was their captain before he left to join Bayern’s squad. He certainly had a chilly reception as he was welcomed back to Signal Iduna Park as a Bayern player, fans consistently booed him every time he touched the ball.

It appeared to affect him a bit in the beginning of the match, but as as it progressed, he seemed to be more comfortable and competent on the back line. Gotze played with Borussia Dortmund from 2009-2013 before he was transferred to Bayern Munich. This is his first season back with Dortmund since that transfer, and he never made it into the game.

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In turns of the match, Dortmund seemed to get the better of the chances in the first half, but they were plagued by poor finishing and Manuel Neuer. Neuer had a fantastic game, which not at all unusual. He came up big for Bayern, not only making 5 critical saves, but he notably cut back the ball in his own 18 yard box and delivered a pass, relieving the pressure on him.

Dortmund dominated the first half, and without Manuel Neuer, Bayern surely would have found themselves down at the half. His performance is critical for Bayern because this win gave the team added confidence as they prepare for the Bundesliga opener, according to Ancelotti.

The second half was more even in play as Bayern grew more confident and collected. Both goals were scored in the second half, propelling Bayern to victory. Arturo Vidal scored the first in the 58th minute, collecting the rebound of his own shot and burying it in the side net. Vidal found himself in a similar situation in the first half, but he failed to convert the opportunity. He certainly fixed that error the second time around.

Thomas Muller’s goal came in the 79th minute off a corner kick. The ball was served into the box and Mats Hummels found Muller, who promptly put the ball in the back of the net.

These goals allow the Ancelotti era to start with a trophy, but there is still work to do as the team progresses as Bayern only had 45% possession in the match. Dortmund seemed to outplay Bayern at points with their fast tempo, aggressive effort. However, they lost because Bayern capitalized on their limited opportunities and used their experience to find space, opportunities and goals where they could.