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Bayern best Dortmund

Mark HallamAugust 12, 2012

Bayern Munich have finally managed to beat Borussia Dortmund after two arid years. Unfortunately for the Bavarians, the triumph came in possibly the least significant game of the German soccer season.

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Mario Mandzukic of Bayern celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's first goal during the Bundesliga Supercup 2012 match between Bayern Muenchen and Borussia Dortmund at Allianz Arena on August 12, 2012 in Munich, Germany.
Image: Bongarts/Getty Images

Jupp Heynckes and his Bayern Munich side were able to celebrate to Queen's "We are the Champions" in their Allianz-Arena, probably feeling a little sheepish in the process. After twin Borussia Dortmund league titles and five straight defeats against Jürgen Klopp's side, a Bayern victory was rather overdue.

The German Supercup, which pits the Bundesliga champions against the German Cup winners, is hardly the most prized trophy of the season - but it's the first that's up for grabs. Borussia Dortmund did the double last season, so Bayern qualified as cup runners-up.

Bayern beat Dortmund 2-1 on the night, scoring a pair of early goals against a Dortmund defense that still seemed, at least in spirit, to be on its summer holidays.

New signing Mario Mandzukic opened the scoring on six minutes after Neven Subotic sloppily conceded possession in the danger zone. The Croat international striker, formerly of Wolfsburg, finished off a cross from Franck Ribery on the left. Mandzukic enjoyed a strong competitive debut for Bayern, grabbing his chance in the absence of injured German international Mario Gomez.

Bayern doubled their lead just five minutes later, again exploiting a lackadaisical line of yellow shirts. Mandzukic played Arjen Robben clean through on goal, he hit the post in a one-on-one, but Thomas Müller was on hand to dispatch the rebound.

Lukasz Piszczek of Dortmund and teammate Jakub Blaszczykowski challenge Franck Ribery of Bayern during the Bundesliga Supercup 2012 match between Bayern Muenchen and Borussia Dortmund at Allianz Arena on August 12, 2012 in Munich, Germany.
Franck Ribery was at his impudent best for much of the matchImage: Bongarts/Getty Images

Along with Mandzukic, new center half Dante - the rock in Borussia Mönchengladbach's stingy back line last season - made an impressive debut for Bayern.

Bayern utterly dominated the first half, with Dortmund unable to put a single shot on goal; something that had never happened coach Jürgen Klopp's four seasons at the helm.

Klopp's side was missing its two best defensive midfielders, the injured Sven Bender and Sebastian Kehl, to shore up the middle of the park.

Half-time hairdryers

A rather grumpy Klopp appeared on the pitch well before his players at the start of the second period, presumably while the Dormtund players digested their dressing-down in the dressing room.

Within five minutes of the re-start, Dortmund managed to test Manuel Neuer in the Munich goal - but the German keeper was equal to a Robert Lewandowski header from a corner delivered by new signing Marco Reus.

Reus is another Gladbach departee, and was one of nine capped German internationals to start the game - keenly observed by national team coach Joachim Löw.

Bayern Munich's Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates scoring during the second semi-final football match Liga-Total-Cup FC Bayern Munich vs SV Werder Bremen in Hamburg, northern Germany, on August 4, 2012.
Bayern's new signing Xherdan Shaqiri played only a substitute cameo roleImage: AFP/Getty Images

Substitute Mario Götze became the tenth Germany star when he was brought into the mix midway through the second period, almost immediately creating a chance for Reus from close range.

But it was Dortmund's top scorer from the last season, Polish international Robert Lewandowski, who pulled one back with 15 minutes left on the clock. Picking up an innocuous ball from Julian Schieber, freshly defected from Stuttgart, Lewandowski took a few touches on the edge of the box and curled the ball around Dante into the bottom corner. Manuel Neuer might have been unsighted by his defenders seeking to stop the shot.

Dormtund pushed for an equalizer in the closing minutes without success, losing their first game to Bayern Munich since the 2009/10 season.

Dortmund lost last year's Supercup to local rivals Schalke, but went on to dominate the domestic scene for the second consecutive year. The Bundesliga season itself gets underway on Friday, August 24 - with champions Dortmund playing host to Werder Bremen. Bayern will travel to newly-promoted Greuther Fürth for their season-opener the next day.