Bayern Munich kicked off their Champions League season with a commanding 5-0 victory over FK Bodø/Glimt, but don’t let that scoreline fool you: the Bavarians were definitely feeling the rust in the first half. The early game saw Vincent Kompany’s squad struggle big time to find any rhythm, making things way tougher than a five-goal blowout suggests. It wasn’t until the second half that they finally found their feet and absolutely blew their opponents away. Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich, and Michael Olise were the guys who stepped up, bringing that individual brilliance that woke everyone else up.
Bodø’s Low-Block Nearly Stunned Early
Seriously, those Norwegian underdogs from Bodø/Glimt were fantastic early on, capitalizing on Bayern’s rustiness and isolating their attackers. They deserve a shoutout for executing a great low-block that Bayern had real trouble cracking. There were definite vulnerabilities for Bayern, especially early on. You gotta wonder, with a little more numbers, could Bodø have snuck one past Neuer? Helmersen even had a brave, lone shot at an open goal after pressing hard. Their starting goalkeeper, Nikita Haikin, made some clutch saves that kept the game even before he unfortunately had to leave the pitch at halftime due to injury. Luis Diaz, a starter, just couldn’t pick himself up and had a rough day, making him perhaps the only one who didn’t come alive by the final whistle.
Davies Back to Form and Kimmich’s Vision
The big takeaway from this game? Alphonso Davies is back, and he looked *great*. That’s a huge deal because since his ACL injury, the Canadian just hasn’t looked 100 percent, missing that general agility and spring in his step. But against Bodø/Glimt? He was in much better shape, comfortable making those explosive runs and turns. This is a massive sign for Bayern because Davies brings a critical edge to their high-pressing backline. He was the primary channel on the left wing, stretching Bodø’s defense and picking up the slack for Diaz. Defensively, he was vital, making three interceptions and a tackle. His goal in the 77th minute came from pure anticipation, catching a rebound as Bayern just kept knocking on Bodø’s door, blasting it into the net.
Joshua Kimmich was also a key presence, dominating with his superior vision and game control. Even when the attackers were struggling to string together meaningful movements, Kimmich repeatedly set his team up to keep pushing. He paired his sensational through passes with an unbelievable shot in the 35th minute on his weaker foot that narrowly missed the goal, ricocheting off the post. He was absolutely leading the way, prompting his teammates to take more shots. Yeah, he had a blunder in the 67th minute when Helmersen stole the ball and shot at Neuer’s open goal, but honestly, Kimmich looked like his pre-Covid self. This is Bayern’s first Champions League win of the season, and with guys like Davies and Kimmich already playing at this level, things are definitely looking up for their European campaign!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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