On Saturday evening, Bayern Munich visited Augsburg for their first road game of the new Bundesliga season. The visitors controlled the first half with effective pressing and counter-pressing and deservedly took a 2-0 lead into the half-time interval, courtesy of a goal apiece from Serge Gnabry and Luis Diaz. However, had Die Roten been more efficient in front of goal, the game could have been over as a contest before the break.
Nonetheless, just three minutes into the second half, it appeared that Bayern had the game in the bag when Michael Olise made it 3-0. However, Augsburg didn't give up and made the final score more respectable by scoring twice before the final whistle. Courtesy of the win, Bayern made it four wins out of four games across all competitions this season, but going into the international break, it’s quite clear that the reigning Bundesliga Champions still have room for marked improvement.
The same shortcomings that were on display, just three days earlier, against third-tier side Wehen Wiesbaden in the DFB-Pokal were again on display in Augsburg.
Poor finishing still a major issue
As previously alluded to, the game could have been over as a contest by halftime had the finishing been better. In the very first minute of the game, Michael Olise squared the ball to Luis Diaz, who was no more than two metres in front of an open goal, but the Colombian failed to sort his feet out for a simple tap-in.
After going zero of seven on attempts at goal, just three days earlier, against Wiesbaden, on Saturday Diaz fared just slightly better in scoring from one of his six attempts, while failing to convert two big chances. So far, despite impressing in other facets of the game, his finishing hasn’t justified his hefty €70 million price tag, as it is all too similar to the finishing of the wingers who left Bayern over the summer.
Surprisingly, Lucho wasn’t the sole culprit on the evening. Michael Olise was an identical one for six including two big chances missed.