bundesliga

Bayern Munich lose to Cologne in Julian Nagelsmann's first game

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Bayern Munich lost the first game of the Julian Nagelsmann era after Cologne beat them by the odd goal in five in a highly entertaining pre-season encounter in Villingen on Saturday.

Cologne 3-2 Bayern Munich
Goals: 0-1 Sieb (6'), 1-1 Thielmann (20'), 1-2 Uth (27'), 2-2 Zirkzee (35'), 3-2 Uth (56')

Despite being without star striker Robert Lewandowski, Bayern didn’t take long to show why they are nine-in-a-row Bundesliga champions. Cologne failed to deal with some early pressure from Nagelsmann’s team, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting preventing a cross from being fully cleared. That afforded Armindo Sieb the chance to smash home the loose ball from the right of the penalty spot to give Bayern the lead. Cologne skipper Jonas Hector had a volley deflected off target from inside the area before Omar Richards - the ex-England U21 left-back who was making his Bayern debut along with former RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano - threatened at the other end. The first half was being played at a frantic pace in front of 6,000 supporters, and soon Cologne were level. Hector clipped a ball over the top for Jan Thielmann to run on to and he beat both the offside trap and Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich. Seven minutes after that Cologne hit the front for the first time, Mark Uth hooking home brilliantly on the turn from Thielmann’s left-wing cross. New Cologne boss Steffen Baumgart would have been pleased by that, but less so by some of his side’s defending. When Cologne lost the ball in their own half with 10 minutes to play until half-time, Bayern ruthlessly punished them. Choupo-Moting, American Taylor Booth and Joshua Zirkzee combined swiftly to do the damage, with Booth laying the ball across for Dutch striker Zirkzee to make it 2-2.

Uth got an early sight of goal but fired over after bursting to the edge of the area early in the second half, but - back for a third spell at his hometown club - the summer signing from Schalke would soon get another. When Florian Kainz moved down the right and whipped over a cross, Uth was unmarked in the area and got his second goal of the game and made it 3-2 with a firm downward header. Given this was Cologne’s third pre-season game and a youthful Bayern team’s first, perhaps it was no surprise that the Billy Goats looked sharper. Half-time sub Lucas Copado - the nephew of Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic - had a chance to get the champions back on terms, before Hector and Sebastian Andersson were off target for Cologne. Tim Lemperle came even closer to making it a more comfortable win with 19 minutes left as the Billy Goats finished strongly, but substitute Bayern keeper Ron-Thorben Hoffman made just enough contact with the ball to see that effort dribble wide. Bayern are next in pre-season friendly action on 24 July, when Dutch champions Ajax visit the Allianz Arena.

Match stats

  • Nagelsmann was previously in charge of Hoffenheim and Leipzig.
  • Lewandowski scored a record 41 Bundesliga goals in 2020/21.
  • Ondrej Duda was Cologne's seven-goal top scorer last season.
  • Hector is embarking on his 10th season with the Cologne first team.
  • Booth made 15 Austrian Bundesliga appearances whilst on loan at Pölten during the second half of 2020/21, registering three goals and two assists.
  • Baumgart's three previous encounters with Bayern had ended in defeat by an aggregate score of 12-4.

Line-ups

Cologne: Horn - Ehizibue (Schindler 70'), Mere (Schmitz 46'), Czichos (Hübers 75'), Katterbach (Castrop 46') - Özcan (Ostrak 72'), Hector (Skhiri 68') - Thielmann (Andersson 72'), Schaub, Kainz (Ljubicic 72') - Modeste (Lemperle 46')
Unused subs: -
Out: Cestic (thigh), J. Horn (hip)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Bayern: Ulreich (Hoffmann 46') - C. Richards (Lawrence 46'), Upamecano (Nianzou 46'), Stanisic (Sarr 46'), O. Richards (Vita 46') - Rhein, Booth (Copado 46') - Zirkzee (Cuisance 46'), Scott (Mosandl 27'), Sieb - Choupo-Moting (Tillman 46')
Unused subs: -
Out: Davies (ankle), Früchtl (collarbone), Hernandez (knee), Roca (ankle)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann

AS IT HAPPENED!

Cologne 3-2 Bayern
Goals: 0-1
Sieb (6'), 1-1 Thielmann (20'), 1-2 Uth (27'), 2-2 Zirkzee (35'), 3-2 Uth (56')
Cologne: Horn - Ehizibue (Schindler 70'), Mere (Schmitz 46'), Czichos (Hübers 75'), Katterbach (Castrop 46') - Özcan (Ostrak 72'), Hector (Skhiri 68') - Thielmann (Andersson 72'), Schaub, Kainz (Ljubicic 72') - Modeste (Lemperle 46')
Bayern: Ulreich (Hoffmann 46') - C. Richards (Lawrence 46'), Upamecano (Nianzou 46'), Stanisic (Sarr 46'), O. Richards (Vita 46') - Rhein, Booth (Copado 46') - Zirkzee (Cuisance 46'), Scott (Mosandl 27'), Sieb - Choupo-Moting (Tillman 46')

FULL-TIME! COLOGNE 3-2 BAYERN

Bayern are deservedly beaten by a well-organised Cologne, but this is what pre-season friendlies are all about. Plenty of food for thought for Julian Nagelsmann, though he won't have too many concerns with virtually all of his top performers unavailable. Don't be surprised to see and hear more from youngsters Armindo Sieb and Lucas Copado in the near future, mind.

75' FRESH COLOGNE LEGS

Messrs Schindler, Hübers, Ostrak and Andersson, along with new signing Dejan Ljubicic, are on for Cologne. The latter recently made the switch from Rapid Vienna.

71' CHANCE!

Hoffmann hares off his line as Lemperle goes through on the Bayern goal. The Cologne teenager places it through the goalkeeper's legs, but the slightest of touches takes it wide.

68' COLOGNE CHANGE

Hector makes way, handing the captain's armband to goalkeeper Timo Horn. Ellyes Skhiri, scorer of seven goals last term, is on.

62' HECTOR!

Uth clips a pass over to Jonas Hector, but he can't recreate his teammate's first-half wonder-goal.

61' HALF CHANCE!

Sieb - Bayern's best player so far - carves open the Cologne defence. He slips the ball through to Lucas Copado - the nephew of Bayern sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic - but he can't quite bring it under wraps.

56' GOAAAAL!!!! COLOGNE 3-2 BAYERN

Mark Uth at the double! It's an easy finish for the Cologne striker, who is the only player to react to Florian Kainz's teasing ball into the box. Cool header - no chance for the keeper. Bayern's defence just fell to sleep.

53' YELLOW CARD

Bouna Sarr goes into the book for an unnecessary challenge on Salih Özcan.

46' RING RUST

Nianzou's first touch isn't great. It's straight to Lemperle, but the Cologne sub can't make anything of the chance.

SECOND HALF! COLOGNE 2-2 BAYERN

The ball's rolling again in Villingen, Nagelsmann having made a whole host of changes. Rhein and Sieb are the only two Bayern starters to emerge for the second half. Tanguy Nianzou and Michael Cuisance are among the new faces. Bennno Schmitz, Jens Castrop and Tim Lemperle are on for Cologne.

HALF-TIME! COLOGNE 2-2 BAYERN

Julian Nagelsmann does not look happy. Bayern got off to the perfect start, only to concede quick-fire Cologne goals. Zirkzee's leveller leaves the pre-season contest finely poised...

35' GOAAAAL!!!! COLOGNE 2-2 BAYERN

Joshua Zirkzee restores parity for the record champions. It's a tidy finish from the Dutchman - he's just onside - and hats off to American Taylor Booth, who was the catalyst for the goal with a purposeful run and pass.

27' GOAAAAL!!!! COLOGNE 2-1 BAYERN

The Billy Goats lead Nagelsmann's Bayern, and it's a stunning goal. Thielmann turns provider with a cross towards Uth, who volleys magnificently on the turn past Ulreich. Zidane-esque from the Cologne man!

20' GOAAAAL!!!! COLOGNE 1-1 BAYERN

Cologne are level! Bayern attempt to play Jan Thielmann offside as he collects a raking long ball from Jonas Hector. They're not in-sync, though, and the Cologne youngster calmly converts with only Ulreich to beat. Game on!

19' UTH CHANCE!

Mark Uth drives into the Bayern box off the left-hand side, but can't direct his shot past Sven Ulreich. Good opening, that.

10' OMAR TAKES AIM

Omar Richards drifts in off the left and takes aim, but his shot goes wide of Timo Horn's goal.

6' GOAAAAL!!!! COLOGNE 0-1 BAYERN

Armindo Sieb strikes early for the record champions! Choupo-Moting wins the ball in the box and helps it on to the 18-year-old, who drives home from 13 yards.

KICK-OFF!

The ball's rolling in Villingen!

NEW LEAF AT COLOGNE

Steffen Baumgart is the new man in the dugout at Cologne following last season's relegation near-miss. The Billy Goats secured their top-flight status via the play-offs, and will be hoping for far calmer waters in the coming campaign. To that end, the Cologne have signed Mark Uth to a permanent deal. The former Hoffenheim and Schalke forward also played for the club's youths and reserves at the start of his career.

FAITH IN YOUTH

Nagelsmann also gives a start to Joshua Zirkzee, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Parma. Josip Stanisic, Torben Rhein, American Taylor Booth, Christopher Scott and Armindo Sieb complete a rather youthful line-up, albeit 32-year-old Erix Maxim Choupo-Moting as spearhead.

NEW FACES

Nagelsmann isn't the only new face in the Bayern camp. There are also debuts for former RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano and ex-England U21 international left-back Omar Richards. USMNT defender Chris Richards is back at the club following a loan spell with Hoffenheim, while Sven Ulreich re-assumes the gloves in the absence of Manuel Neuer after spending the 2020/21 campaign in Bundesliga 2 with Hamburg.

WELCOME!

The Julian Nagelsmann era starts right here, right now for Bayern Munich. Cologne provide the opposition in the 33-year-old's first outing as head coach of the record champions...