THE FIRST OF MANY
Canada’s Alphonso Davies makes Bundesliga debut off bench for Bayern Munich
MUNICH — Canadian teenager Alphonso Davies made his Bundesliga debut Sunday, coming off the bench in the 86th minute of Bayern Munich’s 4-1 win over VfB Stuttgart.
He arrived two minutes after Polish international Robert Lewandowski, making up for an earlier missed penalty, scored to make it 4-1 with his 99th goal in all competitions at Allianz Arena. Davies took up an advanced position on the left side of the field before the crowd of 75,000.
“Great result today .... happy to make my Bundesliga debut,” Davies tweeted, adding a couple of flexed bicep emojis.
The 18-year-old follows fellow Canadian internationals Paul Stalteri, Kevin McKenna, Rob Friend, Olivier Occean, Simeon Jackson, Marcel de Jong, Julian de Guzman and Daniel Imhof in seeing Bundesliga action.
“Welcome to your new home,” Bayern tweeted.
Davies joined Bayern (133-3) from the Vancouver Whitecaps in an MLS record-breaking $22-million US transfer deal that runs through 2023. The deal was done in July but Davies finished out the MLS season before joining Bayern this month.
Bayern boss Niko Kovac named an unchanged side from the team that beat Hoffenheim 3-1 nine days ago to mark the Bundesliga’s return to action after its traditional winter break. Davies was also on the bench that day and did not see action.
Veterans Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben remained out injured.
Kovac brought on German international Serge Gnabry at halftime. Colombia international James Rodriguez came on in the 74th minute. Davies came in for Kingsley Coman.
Second-place Bayern, after its seventh straight league win, moved within six points of league leader Borussia Dortmund. Unbeaten in seven, its most recent Bundesliga loss was a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund on Nov. 10.
Spain’s Thiago and Leon Goretzka also scored for Bayern, which also benefited from a Christian Gentner own goal. Anastasios Donis replied for Stuttgart (4-13-2).
Stuttgart, which arrived at Allianz Arena 14 places and 25 points beneath Bayern, went behind early but fought back in a spirited first-half performance. Bayern took control in the second half, however.
Davies did start in Bayern’s penalty shootout win over Borussia Moenchengladbach in the final of the Telekom Cup, a four-team competition held during the winter break. Prior to that, he took part in Bayern’s week-long training camp in Doha.
He has made nine appearances for Canada with three goals and four assists. In December, he become the youngest winner of the Canadian Men’s Soccer Player for the Year Award.
Born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled the Liberian civil war, Davies ended up in Edmonton after his family immigrated to Canada. He joined the Whitecaps’ residency program in 2015, working his way up the ranks to make his MLS debut in July 2016.
He was 15 at the time, becoming the second youngest player in league history — behind American Freddy Adu — and the first born in the 2000s.