Bayern Munich have started their defence of the German Cup in impressive fashion after coming from behind to defeat second-tier VfL Osnabrück 4-1 on Wednesday night.
The defending champions were given an early scare at the Bremer Brücke, but they remained calm and eventually took control of the match. England captain Harry Kane was at the centre of the comeback, scoring twice as Bayern secured their place in the second round of the DFB-Pokal.
Osnabrück shocked the visitors after just five minutes when Robin Meißner produced a spectacular long-range volley. The forward controlled a long ball before sending a powerful effort from around 30 metres into the top corner, leaving Bayern goalkeeper Jonas Urbig with little chance.
The early goal created a lively atmosphere inside the stadium, with the home supporters believing their team could cause a major upset against the Bundesliga champions.
Bayern, however, responded quickly.
Kane restored parity in the 18th minute after Joshua Kimmich delivered a well-weighted ball into the attacking area. The England striker took advantage of the opportunity and fired Bayern’s equaliser into the net.
The goal settled Bayern down and allowed Vincent Kompany’s side to take greater control of the game.
Six minutes later, Bayern completed the turnaround. Tom Bischof put the visitors ahead after a move involving Michael Olise and Luis Díaz. Díaz’s shot was saved by Osnabrück goalkeeper Jonas Krumrey, but Bischof reacted quickly to the rebound and finished from an angle to make it 2-1.
Bayern went into half-time with the advantage and continued to dominate possession and create opportunities after the break.
Osnabrück tried to remain competitive and defend their goal, but Bayern’s quality eventually proved too much for the hosts.
Michael Olise extended Bayern’s lead in the 73rd minute. The French forward took advantage of a defensive mistake before producing a clever finish over the advancing goalkeeper.
With Bayern now leading 3-1, the result appeared secure.
Kane then completed his brace in the 86th minute from the penalty spot. Aleksandar Pavlović was brought down inside the penalty area, giving Bayern the opportunity to add a fourth goal. Kane calmly converted the spot-kick to complete the scoring.
The victory means Bayern have advanced to the second round of the German Cup, where they will discover their next opponent after the draw.
The result also continues a strong start to the season for Kompany’s team. Bayern had already made an impressive opening to their Bundesliga campaign, including a 5-1 victory over Stuttgart, and they have now followed that performance with another convincing result.
For Kane, the match was particularly important. His two goals took his Bayern tally to 149 goals, underlining his importance to the German champions. His first goal also marked his return to scoring in the German Cup after Bayern began their title defence.
Kane was pleased with how his team handled the difficult start to the match. He said Bayern needed to remain calm after Osnabrück scored what he described as an incredible goal.
Kompany also praised his players for maintaining their composure. The Bayern manager acknowledged that playing away from home in the cup can be difficult, particularly against an organised opponent that had nothing to lose.
Bayern’s performance was not perfect, but their response after conceding early was a major positive. The team did not panic and gradually took control through their passing, pressing and attacking quality.
The German Football Association noted that Bayern’s victory also completed an unusual achievement in the competition. All 18 Bundesliga clubs won their opening DFB-Pokal matches, the first time that has happened in 18 years and only the third time this century.
Bayern will now turn their attention back to the Bundesliga. Their next match is away against Schalke on Saturday, September 5, before they continue their campaign across domestic competitions.
The German champions will hope Kane’s goalscoring form continues as they attempt to defend both their domestic titles.
