BAYERN WIN SUPER CUP
Dortmund, Aug. 6: Bayern Munich lifted the German Super Cup on Saturday with a 5-4 win in a penalty shoot-out at Borussia Dortmund after Marc Bartra had his crucial final spot-kick saved.
The game finished 2-2 over 90 minutes as Christian Pulisic’s early goal for Dortmund was cancelled out by Robert Lewandowski.
Ex-Barcelona defender Bartra saw the 12th spotkick saved to hand Bayern the cup for the second year running.
The win gives Bayern their first title of the season as the defending champions open the new Bundesliga season on Friday August 18 at home to Bayer Leverkusen.
The victory offers head coach Carlo Ancelotti a welcome boost after his team lost five of their six previous warm-up games.
Bayern were missing stars Jerome Boateng, David Alaba and Arjen Robben, while new-signing James Rodriguez is out with a hamstring injury.
Dortmund took the lead after just 12 minutes when Javi Martinez lingered over the ball a fraction too long and was robbed by Pulisic.
The 18-year-old US international sprinted away from the scrambling Munich defence.
He tucked his shot past Sven Ulreich, Bayern’s stand-in goalkeeper with Germany’s shot-stopper Manuel Neuer just back in training after foot surgery.
Bayern drew level on 18 minutes when a superb long pass from new-signing Sebastian Rudy found Kimmich, whose cross was buried by Lewandowski at close range.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, last season’s topscorer in the Bundesliga, restored Dortmund’s lead with 19 minutes left before Lukasz Piszczek’s late own goal took the match straight to penalties.
Both Bayern’s Kimmich and Dortmund’s Sebastian Rode had their penalties saved in the shoot-out until Bartra’s shot was blocked by Ulreich to send the trophy to Munich.