Sadio Mane debut goal helps Bayern Munich to Supercup win over RB Leipzig
Sadio Mane marked his competitive debut in Bayern Munich colours with a goal as the record champions beat RB Leipzig in a thrilling contest to win the 2022 Supercup.
RB Leipzig 3-5 Bayern Munich
Goals: 0-1 Musiala 14' (assist: Hernandez), 0-2 Mane 31' (assist: Gnabry), 0-3 Pavard 45' (assist: Musiala), 1-3 Halstenberg 59' (assist: Nkunku), 1-4 Gnabry 66', 2-4 Nkunku (pen. 76'), 3-4 Olmo 89' (assist: Laimer), 3-5 Sane (90'+8)
The Bundesliga's tradtional season opener was only five minutes old when Mane went within a whisker of turning in a Joshua Kimmich free-kick. Leipzig responded in kind as Manuel Neuer was caught in no man's land, but the rampaging Christopher Nkunku was unable to find a teammate with his cross. Jamal Musiala found his intended target with a smart finish to break the deadlock following a corner. Nkunku had the ball in the net from the restart, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside. Musiala combined with Serge Gnabry to set up Mane for a routine close-range strike, before Benjamin Pavard took advantage of defensive uncertainty to convert Musiala's assist and give Bayern a comfortable half-time lead.
Gnabry dragged an effort wide as Bayern continued in much the same vein, but Leipzig were much improved following the introduction of Andre Silva and Dani Olmo. Soon after the upright denied Silva, Leipzig's persistence was rewarded past the hour when Marcel Halstenberg met an Nkunku corner and looped a header beyond the reach of Neuer. Bayern's response was emphatic, though, as Peter Gulacsi pushed a Thomas Müller cross back out into the danger zone, where Gnabry reacted fastest to restore his side's three-goal cushion. Mane had further efforts chalked off either side of a second Leipzig goal - a thunderous Nkunku penalty awarded following Pavard's foul on Olmo. Leipzig struck again through Olmo in the 89th minute, but Leroy Sane's cool run and finish deep into added time ended all hopes of a comeback as Bayern landed the first blow of 2022/23.
Match stats
- Bayern are record eight-time DFL Supercup winners. Leipzig made their competition debut.
- Mane scored with his first shot on goal, and seventh touch.
- Matthijs de Ligt, Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui also made their competitive debuts in a Bayern shirt.
- Musiala, 19, has 16 goals and eight assists in 79 competitive appearances as a Bayern pro.
- Nkunku has three goals in seven appearances against Bayern, but is yet to be involved in a win (D3, L4).
- Leipzig have won just one of 15 competitive meetings with Bayern (D4, L10).
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Teams
Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Simakan (Novoa 79'), Orban, Halstenberg - Klostermann, Laimer, Kampl (Olmo 52'), Henrichs - Forsberg (Silva 52'), Szoboszlai - Nkunku
Unused subs: Blaswich, Ba, Haidara, Schlager
Out: Angelino (not included), Gvardiol (thigh), Poulsen (muscular)
Coach: Domenico Tedesco
Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard (Mazraoui 78'), Upamecano (de Ligt 78'), Hernandez, Davies - Kimmich, Sabitzer - Gnabry (Sane 78'), Müller (Gravenberch 68'), Musiala (Coman 60') - Mane
Unused subs: Ulreich, Nianzou, Stanisic, Zirkzee
Out: Goretzka (knee), Sarr (match fitness), Tel (UEFA clearance)
Coach: Julian Nagelsmann
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