Dortmund (Germany) (AFP)
The signal is clear: Borussia Dortmund beat Saturday night Munich 2-0 in Germany Supercup, giving credence to the ambition displayed by its leaders to overthrow King Bayern in the league this season.
The young English prodigy Jadon Sancho served Paco Alcacer for the first goal (48th), before scoring the second against (69th), then out under cheers, apparently hobbled.
The Supercup in Germany is considered a minor trophy. Except this year! Because the confrontation between Bayern and his historic dolphin Dortmund was to set the tone of a season like no other. Borussia, considerably strengthened in the offseason, has publicly announced its intention to play the Bundesliga in the "Rekordmeister" ( who remains on seven consecutive titles!), which no German club has dared to proclaim for years.
- "The best team" -
To knock the Bavarians out of their throne next May, the "Borussen" have retained all their major players, and recruited strong: Mats Hummels, former Dortmund past Bayern in 2016, is back in the jersey yellow and black . Julian Brandt and Nico Schulz, both international, and Thorgan Hazard, the Belgian international, came to strengthen the squad.
"This year it could be the best team I have ever coached," said Dortmund coach Lucien Favre, enthusiastically.
Bavarian side, the rejuvenation is spectacular: the world champions Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez join their blue friends Kingsley Coman and Corentin Tolisso.
Period of preparation requires, the two coaches have however aligned on Saturday teams very close to those of the past season, since the only summer rookie aligned at the kickoff was Nico Schulz, the defender of Dortmund, the others are not ready yet ( Hernandez, Hazard), already injured (Hummels, Brandt) or on the bench (Pavard, come into play late in the game).
"It is very important to get into this season and show our fans that we have big plans," had nevertheless launched before the game the captain of Borussia Marco Reus, very affected to have missed the title last season after 9 points ahead of Bayern in December.
- Unfortunate Coman -
Between two teams that have been enormously respected, the game took almost 50 minutes to unwind. Dortmund clearly left the possession in Munich, and proceeded in cons, quickly creating the best opportunities.
In the first half, Manuel Neuer had to go out two parades of class to keep his cage blank: in the first minute against Marco Reus, then in the 19th on a shot of former Lorient Raphaël Guerreiro. But the international goalkeeper yielded twice after the break: in the 48th minute, Sancho reviewed the defense on the right wing, and served Alcacer at the edge of the box. The Spaniard put his ball in the corner at ground level (1-0, 48th).
Kingsley Coman, who had already had the best opportunity in Munich in the first half (23rd), had an equalizer ball, with a head in full close range, miraculously stopped by Hitz.
But a few minutes later, still on a counter, Guerreiro launched Sancho from his own side on the right. The young Englishman took full defense of Bayern speed to beat Neuer closely (2-0, 68th).
In a crazy stadium, Munich logically pressed late in the game but could not find the flaw.
© 2019 AFP