Bayern Munich secured a second consecutive victory but had to overcome a sluggish performance to win 2-1 at SV Elversberg on Sunday. A quartet of substitutes worth a combined 245 million euros was needed to turn the match around.
Making numerous changes to the starting lineup, Bayern struggled to find rhythm in the first half. The breakthrough came in the 26th minute when Lennart Karl scored following an assist from Harry Kane. After the break, Maurice Krattenmacher equalised for the third-division side in the 61st minute. The game only shifted when manager Vincent Kompany turned to his bench. Harry Kane netted the decisive 2:1 in the 72nd minute, assisted by Aleksandar Pavlović.
Kompany defends rotation policy
"For coach Vincent Kompany, this is part of the strategy," the Belgian said post-match, defending his several changes to the starting eleven. The tactical rotation is intended to keep the squad fresh. The introduction of high-calibre players in the second half then produced the desired turnaround.
The win continues Bayern's patchy recent form. Their record from the last five competitive matches shows two wins, one draw, and two defeats. The success in Elversberg followed a clear 5-0 home victory against Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League. Sandwiched between those were a goalless draw at Schalke and a 4-1 defeat in Osnabrück.
Kompany's next challenge comes on Wednesday with a Bundesliga home fixture. With that in mind, the squad rotation is understandable. For the tasks ahead, Bayern will need to rely on the depth of their squad, as demonstrated in Elversberg. The winning goal on Sunday was scored by striker Harry Kane, who now has three goals in his last two appearances.
The original report is at Der Spiegel Fussball
