Harry Kane said he “couldn’t have asked for a better evening” on his Bundesliga debut after scoring one goal and creating another in Bayern Munich’s 4-0 win at Werder Bremen.
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Nick Ames was at the Weserstadion for us tonight. Here’s his report.
Full time: Werder Bremen 0-4 Bayern Munich
Peep peep! Bayern begin their latest title defence with an ultimately comfortable win in Bremen. They had some nervous moments at the start of the second half, when Bremen threatened to equalise, but the contest was ended at a stroke when Harry Kane scored his first goal for Bayern in the 74th minute.
It was a good night for Kane, who also made the opening goal for Leroy Sane. Bayern added two more in injury-time: Sane got his second and Mathys Tel blasted in the fourth.
GOAL! Werder Bremen 0-4 Bayern Munich (Tel 90+4)
It’s getting ugly now. The French teenager Mathys Tel, fed by Davies, wallops the ball past Pavlenka at the near post. That’s a cracking finish.
Muller cut inside from the right and played a one-two with Choupo-Moting on the edge of the area. Sane ignored the ball, knowing he was offside, which allowed Muller to run onto the return pass. Muller then cut the ball back to Sane – onside because it was a new phase of play – and he tapped into an empty net.
GOAL! Werder Bremen 0-3 Bayern Munich (Sane 90)
Leroy Sane gets his second, and it’s a lovely team goal.
86 min Tel’s shot takes a deflection and spins over the bar. This game is over.
85 min Mazraoui makes a brilliant run into the area, turns inside the last defender but then shoots straight at Pavlenka with his left foot.
83 min: Triple substitution for Bayern Thomas Muller, Eric Maxim Choup-Moting and Mathys Tel replace Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala and Kingsley Coman. Nobody seems worried about Kane, who gets a pat on the back from Thomas Tuchel.
82 min Kane is down, though it doesn’t seem anything to worry about.
79 min: Bayern substitution Konrad Laimer replaces Leon Goretzka.
79 min: Double substitution for Bremen Dawid Kownacki and Leon Opitz replace Anthony Jung and Jens Stage.
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78 min Apart from making the first goal and scoring the second, Harry Kane hasn’t done much tonight.
It was made by Davies, who meep-meeped thrillingly down the left and slid a fine angled pass infield to Kane. His first touch was immaculate, setting himself up for a shot from the edge of the area with his second. Kane gave Pavlenka the eyes and then dragged his shot towards the near post. It took a slight touch off the sliding Pieper but it was going in anyway.
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GOAL! Werder Bremen 0-2 Bayern (Yep 74)
Harry Kane gets his first goal for Bayern!
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73 min Bayern have a bit more control defensively, certainly compared to the first 15-20 minutes of the second half.
71 min Kane makes a smart run across the area, onto Coman’s pass, but Friedl tracks him well and Kane scuffs his shot well wide. He should have tried to return that to Coman, who had a much clearer shot.
70 min Sane and Musiala combine to find Coman, who thrashes over from 15 yards. Those three know each other so well that it’s probably no surprise Kane hasn’t seen much of the ball tonight.
68 min: Double substitution for Bremen Christian Gross and Romano Schmid replace Senne Lynen and an unhappy Leo Bittencourt.
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68 min: Bayern substitution Matthijs de Ligt replaces Kim Min-jae at centre-back.
67 min Coman tees up Kimmich, who curls wide from 22 yards.
65 min This is no longer a comfortable night for Bayern. The second half has been far too open for their liking.
63 min: Just wide from Stage! This is end-to-end stuff. Kim’s clearance only goes as far as Stage, 25 yards out, and he smashes a first-time drive that goes a few yards wide. It looked closer live than on the replay, though it was still another dangerous attack fae Bremen.
61 min: Good save by Pavlenka! Kimmich slides a straight pass into Kane, 40 yards from goal. He loses a defender far too easily, moves to the edge of the area and arrows a low drive that is pushed round the post by the diving Pavlenka.
61 min Harry Kane hasn’t seen much of the ball in the second half. I can’t remember a touch, though I’m sure he must have had one or two.
60 min Coman’s backheel releases Davies on the left. He slides the ball back to the edge of the area, where Goretzka hits a first-time shot that is well blocked.
59 min: Werder substitution Scotland’s Oliver Burke is on for Mitchell Weiser.
58 min: Coman hits the post! Davies fired a pass into Coman, back to goal just inside the area. He turned smartly and curled a right-footed shot that beat the diving Pavlenka and thumped off the right-hand post.
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56 min And now Lynen is booked for pulling back Musiala.
55 min Kim is booked for a cynical foul on Fullkrug, who is starting to cause Bayern a few problems.
52 min Kim makes an excellent last-man challenge on Ducksch, though any goal wouldn’t have counted as Ducksch was well offside.
51 min At the other end, Mazraoui’s cross is miscontrolled by Goretzka, eight yards out. That was another good chance, even if it did come to him almost on the half-volley.
49 min Bremen have started the second half with much greater intensity. They win the ball high up the field, which leads to another decent chance. Ducksch forces a pass from the left into Fullkrug, who chests it down in the area but then lashes the bouncing ball over the bar.
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48 min “I’m no tactical genius,” says Peter Oh, “but if Werder want to get something out of this match they should not sub out their front man. He’d be a sitting Ducksch.”
47 min: Chance for Bittencourt! Sane’s shot is spilled by Pavlenka, who is able to grab it at the second attempt. Bremen go straight down the right, with Fullkrug on the ball. He slides a clever pass into the area for Bittencourt, who pokes wide of the near post on the stretch.
46 min A fast start from Bremen. A cross from the left is headed away to the edge of the area, where Weiser lashes the bouncing ball over the bar. He thought it got a deflection; the referee disagreed.
46 min Peep peep! Bremen begin the second half.
If you want to follow tonight’s other games, including Nottingham Forest 1-0 Sheff Utd in the Premier League, our Live Scores! page is your friend.
Half-time reading
Half time: Werder Bremen 0-1 Bayern Munich
Kimmich’s corner is headed away, and that’s the end of a predictably one-sided first half. Harry Kane made a goal for Leroy Sane inside four minutes, and the only surprise was that Bayern didn’t add to their lead. Kane was fairly quiet after that, though he had some decent moments both in defence and attack.
45+2 min Kane wins a corner at the other end, which Kimmich will take…
45+2 min Ducksch’s dangerous free-kick from the right is headed away by Kane, in front of his keeper Ulreich.
45+1 min Three minutes of added time.
45 min Kimmich’s deep, outswinging corner is met by Kim, whose powerful header is too close to Pavlenka.
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44 min Musiala zig-zags past three players on the edge of the area and hits a shot that deflects behind for a corner.
43 min Goretzka plays a nice one-two with Musiala on the edge of the area, only to leave the ball behind him. That was almost a very good chance.
42 min Kimmich wallops a wretched free-kick into orbit.
40 min Kane shuffles smartly away from Friedl, 25 yards from goal, and is fouled. Another free-kick in a decent position for Bayern.
40 min Ducksch forces a decent save from Ulreich, though the flag had long since gone up for offside.
39 min Kane, 15 yards out, has a left-foot shot blocked by Veljkovic after some snappy passing from Bayern.
37 min Bremen are hanging on, which is never a great look when you’re already a goal down. Bayern are too good. Who knew.
36 min Kane hasn’t had too many touches, though he did make the goal so we’re not quite into send-him-home territory.
34 min Goretzka swishes a deflected long-range strike that is saved well, if awkwardly, by the diving Pavlenka. Kane is beaten to the rebound by a defender.
33 min After a long passing move from Bayern, Coman cuts inside and then overhits a cross for a goalkick.
31 min Bayern are just too good at the moment. Bremen can’t get their strike partnership of Fullkrug and Ducksch in the game.
28 min There’s a break in play why Bittencourt receives treatment. He’s fine.
25 min Sane’s dipping corner from the right is met by Kane, whose mishit volley from eight yards hits a defender and bobbles through to Pavlenka. That was a decent chance, though I suspect he saw it late.
23 min Ducksch’s tame free-kick is easily saved by Ulreich.
23 min Upamecano foulds Weiser 25 yards from goal. Ducksch is over the ball…
22 min “Not a Spurs fan, but I always admired Harry,” says Mary Waltz. “First his amazing skill for scoring. Second, he just seemed to be a good bloke. I am happy for him to be away from the Spurs sad soap opera.”
21 min: Mazraoui hits the post! Coman scurries down the left, then plays the ball back to Davies on the edge of the area. He lays it square to his fellow full-back Mazraoui, who crashes a lovely shot that beats Pavlenka and brushes the outside of the left post.
20 min Ducksch is booked, a little harshly, for a high challenge on Upamecano.
19 min: Just wide from Musiala! That was lovely play. He received the ball on the halfway line, to the left of centre, beat his man with ease and headed straight towards goal. Nobody came to challenge so he got to within 22 yards and rifled a low drive just wide of the near post.
15 min Weiser beats Davies with a stepover and stands up a good cross into the middle. Fullkrug can’t quite reach it and Ulreich claims.
13 min The disallowed goal aside, Bayern have been in control. Kane’s imaginative pass is just too heavy for Musiala, who made a late run into the area.
11 min The free-kick is touched off to Kane, whose stinger is blocked by a charging defender.
10 min Kane is fouled 30 yards from goal by Lynen. I say ‘fouled’; Lynen got the ball and then tripped Kane in his followthrough. Either way, it’s a free-kick to Bayern in a good position…
9 min: Fullkrug has a goal disallowed for Bremen! It’s a shame as it was a good goal, a close-range header from a superb Ducksch free-kick. But Fullkrug went too early and was clearly offside.
6 min At Spurs, Kane had only one Son Heung-min. Here he has one on either side, such is the pace of Sane, Coman, Gnabry or whoever the flip they play. I suppose more teams will defend deep against Bayern than they did against Spurs, but you’d still imagine Kane will get a whole heap of assists this season.
The defending was dreadful, but an assist is an assist is an assist. Sane knocked an angled ball into Kane on the halfway line and kept running. Kane simply eased it first time into the space, knowing there was nobody behind him, and that allowed Sane to charge through on goal. Nobody was going to catch him, and once he got into the area he slipped the ball past Pavlenka with his right foot.
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GOAL! Werder Bremen 0-1 Bayern (Sane 4)
Harry Kane makes a goal with his second touch for Bayern!
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3 min Coman cuts inside from the left and tries a one-two with Kane, whose return pass is fractionally overhit. Nice idea though, and those speedy Bayern wingers are going to love having him in their team.
3 min “I guess the interest of this game, for many people at least, is seeing how Kane thrives (or doesn’t) in his new environment; much like worldwide interest in An-An the giant panda,” says Charles Antaki. “As I recall he was ceremonially courted by the world’s zoos until it suited the People’s Republic of China to let him go. But also as I recall, he didn’t produce much, and dwindled away into a sad hulk. Hmm.”
2 min You’re just here for Harry Kane aren’t you? It’s okay, he hasn’t touched the ball yet.
1 min Peep peep! Leroy Sane gets the new Bundesliga season under way. Bayern, in their black away kit, are kicking from left to right as we watch.
Harry Kane high-fives his new teammaes, and then the players gather round the centre circle to pay tribute to the Bremen legend Horst-Dieter Hottges, who died in the summer aged 79.
The players line up for the national anthem, sung by a pair of fellas in what look like leather trousers. I think some of the home fans are booing.
“I’m watching the Hundred so you all don’t have to, Rob, while following the MBM of course,” writes Simon McMahon. “Don’t ask me what the score is, though. I just wish Eoin Morgan was my dad. And that he would bring Uncle Kev home with him more often.”
The players are in the tunnel, and Bremen’s kit still looks quite magnificent.
It's Bundesliga time 🤩
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) August 18, 2023
⏰ 20:30 CEST
🆚 @FCBayernEN
📍 wohninvest WESERSTADION#werder #svwfcb pic.twitter.com/A0y3B9jzhD
“Your assertion would trouble me more,” says Joe Pearson, “if I actually knew what the Hundred was. (Googles) Oh, it’s cricket. Still not troubled. Hope we can remain friends.”
We can, not least because the Hundred’s relationship with legacy cricket fans is… complicated.
“Love the line-up pictures provided by the clubs,” writes Jeff. “Harry Kane looks he’s donning his best ‘I’m your man, catch me if you can’ job interview pose, while Bittencourt’s doing an ironic slow clap in reply.”
“Just like every Saturday morning at 10am (3pm your time), this afternoon I am once again grateful to live in the USA (no exclamation points),” writes Joe Pearson. “Nottingham Forest vs Sheffield United is available on my tv. As is Werder Bremen vs Bayern. If l wanted to swerve, I could even watch the Little League World Series. I’m taking it back. USA! USA!! USA!!!”
I bet you can’t watch the Hundred though, can you.
“Hi Rob,” says Ruth Purdue. “Please wax lyrically about that look that Kane has on that team sheet.”
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐗𝐈 🆚 Werder Bremen
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) August 18, 2023
Our first side of the new Bundesliga season is here 📋#MiaSanMia #SVWFCB pic.twitter.com/8uCGuo8ie0
I missed this. My word! I can’t decide whether he looks lascivious, constipated or both.
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Andy Brassell’s preview
This kit though
Our starting XI for the first Bundesliga game of the season 🔥#werder #svwfcb pic.twitter.com/LB7doknSA8
— SV Werder Bremen EN (@werderbremen_en) August 18, 2023
Team news: Kane starts
Harry Kane starts, as does Bayern’s other big summer signing, the Korean defender Kim Min-jae. Benjamin Pavard, who looks set to join Internazionale, is on the bench.
Bremen’s team includes Niclas Fullkrug, the late bloomer who was joint top-scorer with Christopher Nkunku in last season’s Bundesliga. The Belgian midfielder Senne Lynen, signed from Union SG, makes his debut in midfield, and the Scotland international Oliver Burke is among the subs.
Werder Bremen (possible 3-1-4-2) Pavlenka; Pieper, Veljkovic, Friedl; Lynen; Weiser, Bittencourt, Stage, Jung; Fullkrug, Ducksch.
Substitutes: Zetterer, Gross, Schmid, Rapp, Gruev, Opitz, Kownacki, Njinmah, Burke.
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1) Ulreich; Mazraoui, Upamecano, Kim, Davies; Kimmich, Goretzka; Sane, Musiala, Coman; Kane.
Substitutes: Hulsmann, De Ligt, Pavard, Choupo-Moting, Muller, Laimer, Gravenberch, Tel, Krutzig.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐗𝐈 🆚 Werder Bremen
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) August 18, 2023
Our first side of the new Bundesliga season is here 📋#MiaSanMia #SVWFCB pic.twitter.com/8uCGuo8ie0
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich at the Weserstadion. The Guardian choosing to liveblog a Bundesliga game that isn’t Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund is usually bad news for global health, but there’s a more innocent reason for us covering tonight’s game: Nottm Forest v Sheff Utd isn’t on TV in the UK.
Oh, and – wait, come back – Harry Kane is making his league debut for Bayern Munich! It’s the first game of the new Bundesliga season, one that should end with Kane winning the first trophy of his career. Bayern, who couldn’t even give the title away last year, are aiming to become champions for the 12th consecutive season. As things stand, they are only four short of the world record.
Werder Bremen, tonight’s opponents, finished 13th last season. They’ve made some improvements since then, signing Naby Keita from Liverpool (although he’s injured and won’t play tonight) and launching one of European football’s better kits.
Bremen know they can beat Bayern, because they did it in 2008 – a spectacular 5-2 victory in Munich. Werder were Bayern’s bogey team for much of the 2000s. Since the start of the 2010s, their record in his fixture is, well, consistent: P29 W0 D2 L27 F20 A95.
Kick off 7.30pm BST, 8.30pm in Bremen.
Hello, old friend 🤗🤩#MiaSanMia #SVWFCB pic.twitter.com/Y02KwJmOUp
— FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) August 18, 2023
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