Kompany gets off to winning start with Bayern after five-goal thriller at Wolfsburg

Harry Kane set up Serge Gnabry’s winner as Bayern Munich secured a thrilling 3-2 victory at Wolfsburg in their opening Bundesliga fixture.

Michael Olise made his debut for Bayern who dominated the first half and should have had more to show for it than Jamal Musiala’s goal.

The second half was a different story though with the hosts in front with two goals in 10 minutes from Lovro Majer after the restart.

Musiala hit the bar shortly afterwards and then Thomas Muller’s introduction midway through the half immediately proved crucial as Jakub Kaminski in desperation poked into his own goal to stop Bayern’s Bundesliga record appearance maker scoring.

This led to a fantastic next 20 minutes as both sides had fine chances to score before Kane teed up Gnabry to net the winner eight minutes from time.

It was a strange game. Bayern were cruising in the first half and Manuel Neuer could have brought a deckhair out to catch some rays with no action to trouble him.

Despite their dominance, they did not create too many chances, with Gnabry’s one before the break the only gilt-edged missed opportunity. A poor start to the second half, with Goey clipping Tiago Tomas in the box, set forth a panic in the defence. Kim Min-jae almost gave away a chance to Tomas in the first half and then similarly gifted the ball to Patrick Wimmer to set up Lovro Majer as they fell behind.

The attacking quality is exhilarating and so it proved with the goals and host of chances they created, but the glut of opportunities presented to Wolfsburg, who admittedly looked a different side after the break, will make Bayern fans wonder if they are better equipped to take down Bayer Leverkusen this year.

Joao Palhinha, who was on the bench, will surely come into the side in central midfield which will sure things up there and Eric Dier for Kim will make things more secure as well. But with two exciting speedy buccaneering full backs and three attack-focused forwards, there may need to be more tactical surgery to ensure Bayern do not allow sides to take points off them this season – as Wolfsburg could well have done .

The best player of the first half was Sacha Boey who linked brilliantly with Michael Olise and Musiala from right back, but found things much harder with Wolfsburg forcing him to run backwards after the break. Musiala was an irresistible attacking force throughout the match creating chances for all his team-mates and getting on the end of others’ good work as he did for his goal in the first half and near second after the break. With the game-winner Gnabry, Olise, Mathys Tel, as well as older hands Kingsley Coman and veteran Thomas Muller there is so much competition for those forward slots, but Musiala is likely to be the one constant.

Wolfsburg: Grabara 7; Fischer 5, Bornauw 6, Zesiger 6, Kaminski 6; Arnold 6, Svanberg 6; Baku 6, Majer 8, Tomas 7, Wimmer 7.

Subs: Behrens 6, Gerhardt 6, Wind 6.

Bayern: Neuer 6; Boey 7, Upamecano 6, Kim Min-jae 4, Davies 6; Pavlovic 7, Kimmich 7; Olise 7, Musiala 8*, Gnabry 8*, Kane 7.

Subs: Coman 7, Muller 7, Dier 6.

19′ GOAL! WOLFSBURG 0-1 BAYERN (MUSIALA)! Boey gets down the right flank to the by-line and slides a ball inside the six-yard box which Musiala gleefully taps home.

42′ GNABRY WITH A GOLDEN CHANCE! Kane hits a cross-field ball from the right flank which was only flicked by Fischer to Gnabry at the back post but, though he had time to tee himself up, he missed the far post.

46′ PENALTY TO WOLFSBURG! Boey brings down Tomas as he was bearing down on goal. Boey gets a yellow card.

47′ GOAL! WOLFSBURG (MAJER) 1-1 BAYERN! Majer sends Neuer the wrong way from the spot. How the half-time break changed things. They could have played another hour without the break and wouldn’t have scored.

51′ MAJER HITS THE POST! Neuer could only stand and hope as the low shot raced past him and struck the post, before bouncing out.

55′GOAL! WOLFSBURG (MAJER) 2-1 BAYERN! Dreadul defending as Kim is robbed by Wimmer who raced into the box and seemed to have dallied too long but squared to Majer who put the ball past Davies on the line.

57′MUSIALA AGAINST THE BAR! Olise ran into the box and squared to Musiala whsoe effort was tipped onto the bar by Grabara.

65′GOAL! WOLFSBURG 2-2 BAYERN (KAMINSKI OG)! Immediately Muller effects proceedings. He was set to nudge home after Kane headed a corner back into the six-yard box leading Kaminski to, in desperation, put into his own net.

73′BEHRENS WITH A GREAT CHANCE! He was found by Bornauw and was one-one-one with Neuer but dragged his effort wide.

82′GOAL! WOLFSBURG 2-3 BAYERN (GNABRY)! Superb play from Kane. Taking a ball from Muller and turning his man before sliding a ball into the path of Gnabry who took his time and placed the ball inside the far post.