After Germany’s World Cup triumph in Brazil and a shortened summer break FC Bayern’s players would be back in action in early September for the first round of the DFB-Pokal, long seen as the historic banana skin for all of the top clubs against amateur and non-league opposition. Bayern would have their own bad experiences in the past at this stage of the domestic cup competition, and they would find themselves pitted against 3. Bundesliga side Preußen Münster.
In a game that would see the minnows throw everything they had against their illustrious opponents Münster would perform creditably, as Bayern did more than enough to book their place in the second round.
FCB Coach Pep Guardiola would not take anything lightly with his team selection, and would field a starting lineup containing no fewer than five players who had triumphed in the World Cup final less than two months earlier. Also in the side would be centre-back Holger Badstuber who would be making his first appearance after more than a year out through injury, and Polish striker Robert Lewandowski – making his first competitive appearance in Bayern colours after his summer move from rivals Borussia Dortmund.
On the downside, Bayern would play their opening competitive game of the season with Javi Martinez, Rafinha, Franck Ribéry, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thiago all still on the injury list.
Having made a poor start to their league campaign with just four points from their opening four matches there wouldn’t be many bets on Münster causing an upset, but with a big match against FC Bayern coming once in a blue moon it was clear that they would give everything they had in what was a rare and lucrative television appearance.
The third division side would weather the opening storm and give as good as they got in opening exchanges. Lewandowski would send a header over the bar and Mario Götze would force Münster ‘keeper Daniel Masuch into a sharp save, but at the other end Dutchman Rogier Krohne and the energetic Marcel Reichwein would look sharp for the home side, with the latter’s low shot turned around the post by Manuel Neuer. On nineteen minutes the deadlock will be broken by Mario Götze, who would head Die Roten into the lead after some excellent approach play down the right flank from Shaqiri and Lewandowski.
Mario Götze celebrates Bayern’s opening goal after nineteen minutes at the Preußenstadion
Lewandowski would pick up a crisp through ball from Götze only to be denied by Masuch, but Thomas Müller would double the visitors’ advantage with his 100th Bayern goal a minute short of the half-hour mark. Seizing on an error from Münster skipper Jens Truckenbrod, Müller would lash the ball past the helpless ‘keeper. From that point on Münster would be content to simply control the damage, and would do well in keeping the Bundesliga champions and cup holders at bay until the break with Masuch getting just enough of his body behind the ball to keep out Juan Bernat’s effort.
Seven minutes into the second half David Alaba would score Bayern’s third with a cracking twenty-yard goal-of-the-game strike that would crash into the Münster net off the underside of the crossbar, and substitute Claudio Pizarro would almost add a fourth after more mesmerising build up play from Müller and Lewandowski. The Peruvian would send another shot wide of the target just moments later, but would not be denied seventeen minutes from time. After Alaba had robbed Krohne in the opposition half Müller would find Pizarro out to his his left, and the veteran would execute the perfect finish as he dinked the ball smartly over Masuch with the outside of his right foot.
Münster ‘keeper Daniel Masuch is helpless as David Alaba’s shot fizzes above him for Bayern’s third goal
Münster would be awarded a rather harsh penalty for handball a minute from time after Mehmet Kara had smashed a cross straight at Jérôme Boateng’s shoulder, and Krohne would send Neuer the wrong way to grab what was probably in truth a deserved consolation for the men in black.
That would not be the end of the drama however, and Bayern would have the chance to have the last laugh. Lewandowski would be hauled down in the box by Marc Heitmeier, and the referee would point to the penalty spot before dismissing the Münster centre-back for a professional foul. Lewandowski would dust himself down and step up to take the kick, but would have to wait for at least one more game to open his goalscoring account for Bayern after sending a poor effort straight at Masuch.
4-1 was a fair result against a hard-working but ultimately limited opponent, and having made their way into the second round Bayern would be drawn against old foes Hamburger SV.
DFB Pokal, 1st Round
Preußenstadion, Münster, 06.09.2014
Preußen Münster 1:4 (0:2) FC Bayern
Krohne pen 89. / Götze 19., Müller 29., Alaba 52., Pizarro 73.
Münster: Masuch – Riedel, Schmidt, Heitmeier, Hergesell – Hoffmann (65. Siegert), Truckenbrod (c), Zenga, Kara – Krohne, Reichwein (74. Amachaibou)
FC Bayern: Neuer – Boateng, Dante, Badstuber (79. Rode) – Shaqiri (56. Pizarro), Lahm (c) (79. Gaudino), Alaba, Bernat – Müller, Götze – Lewandowski
Yellow Cards: – / Shaqiri
Red Cards: Heitmeier / –