Friday, August 13, 2021 at 10:26 PM• Dominic Mostert • Last update: 22:29

Bayern Munich have not been able to start the new season with a win. The team of coach Julian Nagelsmann made a draw on Friday evening in the season overture to visit Borussia Mönchengladbach: 1-1. In the first half, Alassane Pléa and Robert Lewandowski scored, after which both teams had chances to win the game.

In his first official game as Bayern coach, Nagelsmann awarded a starting spot to summer signing Dayot Upamecano, who came over from RB Leipzig. In the right back position, the choice fell on Josip Stanisic, who only played his second league game for Bayern. He replaced the injured Benjamin Pavard. Bayern had a disappointing start to the new season and fell behind within ten minutes. In the Bayern half, Lars Stindl got to the ball before Upamecano, allowing him to serve teammate Pléa. The striker took the ball just outside the penalty area and finished face to face with Manuel Neuer.

Then Bayern started chasing the score. Lewandowski in particular caused a threat. Last season’s league top scorer found goalkeeper Yann Sommer in his path after a shot from the edge of the penalty area and after a bet from the five meter line, after a clever cross from Alphonso Davies. Lewandowski then also prepared a double chance for Stanisic, but the steamy right-back encountered Sommer twice. Three minutes before the break, Lewandowski still made it 1-1, when he escaped from guard Nico Elvedi after a spinning corner from Joshua Kimmich and immediately aimed the ball out of the air into the right corner.

After an hour, the outstanding Sommer was able to assert himself again, when he blocked a shot from Lewandowski with an outstretched leg. Colleague Neuer also had a nice save on the other side, by tapping a low shot from Stindl out of the corner with the utmost effort. It turned out to be the beginning of a strong phase of Mönchengladbach. Thirteen minutes before the end, Marcus Thuram was a toe-length short to make his team 2-1; moments later, he went down in the penalty area after contacting Upamecano, but a penalty was not awarded, much to the dismay of the home side. In stoppage time, Mönchengladbach had to limit himself to defending and Kimmich missed a free shot from the penalty area. Bayern have been waiting for a win at Borussia Park for three seasons in a row.