Bayern Munich ease through in DFB Cup on Vincent Kompany's competitive debut
Bayern Munich kicked off Vincent Kompany’s reign as coach with a comfortable 4-0 DFB Cup first-round win over second-tier Ulm, with veteran Thomas Müller finding the net twice for the record German champions.
While Thomas Müller was a familiar figure to Bayern fans, Kompany was one of a host of new faces among the visitors. Harry Kane was joined on the bench by summer signings João Palhinha, Michael Olise and Nestory Irankunda, while Josip Stanišić started having won the domestic double while on loan at Bayer Leverkusen last season. Reclaiming the Bundesliga title and winning the club’s 21st DFB Cup will be high on Kompany’s to-do list, and Bayern set about the latter task with gusto. Müller swept home a half-volley with just 12 minutes gone before then easing the ball into an empty net after being teed up unselfishly by Serge Gnabry soon after.
Müller saw Raphaël Guerreiro narrowly fail to connect with his backpost cross, and Ulm’s troubles deepened when goalkeeper Christian Ortag was forced off through injury with the game barely half-an-hour old. A lively Müller had a chance for a third before the break only for Ulm to then create an opportunity of their own, rousing Kompany from his bench to berate his players’ dip in focus. It was resharpened at half-time and Minjae Kim headed a Joshua Kimmich cross wide before Kane entered the fray just after the hour mark. The England captain had a hand in Bayern’s third, freeing Olise before France’s Olympic silver medallist crossed for another substitute, Kingsley Coman, to score. Kane headed in his first DFB Cup goal to add the gloss in added time.
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Match stats
Müller now has 36 DFB Cup goals - the highest tally among players currently active in the Bundesliga and eighth on the all-time list, topped by Gerd Müller’s 78.
This was also Müller's 708th senior appearance for Bayern - one shy of Sepp Maier's club record.
Kompany follows Jürgen Klinsmann and Louis van Gaal as Bayern coaches to win a cup game as their first match in charge.
Kane scored on his DFB Cup debut, having also done the same on his Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League bows for Bayern.
Bayern are record 20-time DFB Cup winners, but haven't lifted the trophy since 2019/20.
The Bavarians are through to the second round for a competition record 29th year in a row.
Three additional minutes, with Bayern cruising through to the second round...
86'
Disallowed goal!
Bayern have the ball in the net again, but it won't count. Kane kicked the ball out of the hands of the goalkeeper on the line.
84'
Stacked with quality
Some real depth to this Bayern squad as Davies replaces Upamecano. It will be interesting to see who Kompany settles on for a preferred XI in the weeks ahead.
Bayern make the game safe, and it's two of the substitutes who combine for the goal. Olise brings a diagonal ball under wraps, before shifting forward and picking out Coman to finish beyond Seybold from close range.
The Bayern striker enters the fray alongside Coman, with the relatively subdued duo of Musiala and Tel making way. Ulm, meanwhile, introduce Messrs Meier and Keller.
Bayern-owned Krattenmacher has been Ulm's best outlet so far. He tries to find Chessa in the box, but Neuer beats him to it. It was the right idea, at least.
58'
Chance!
Tel cuts inside and sees a shot blocked behind for a corner. Kimmich's ensuing delivery finds Kim, who heads off target.
54'
Too easy
Feels more like a pre-season game for Bayern. Ulm just haven't got near them.
50'
Play resumes
Here we go again...
46'
No changes
It's as you were in Ulm, though play is stopped due to some pyrotechnic-related smoke clouds at one end of the pitch.
Kick-off!
Half-time: Ulm 0-2 Bayern
Bayern have a comfortable lead in Ulm, thanks to Müller's brace. The floodgates haven't quite opened as might have been expected, but Kompany does have the likes of Kane and Coman on the bench...
Krattenmacher with Ulm's best chance, but he can't find the target after leading a promising three-on-two counter. Kompany is not impressed with the way his team allowed the hosts in.
44'
Nearly!
Müller is not far away from turning in his hat-trick from a low Kimmich free-kick. Stealthy, as ever, from the Bayern space invader.
Müller combines with Gurreiro to free Musiala in the Ulm box, but play is halted after Kolbe collided with his own goalkeeper as he went to make the block.
30'
Proceed with caution
Hyryläinen sums up Ulm's frustrations with a late challenge on Pavlović. He'll have to watch his step now...
Bayern are looking dangerous whenever they get forward. This could be a long night for Ulm...
15'
And again!
Ulm haven't learned their lesson. They're undone by another long ball, this time towards Gnabry. He pulls away up the right and finds Müller, who tucks away his second goal in three minutes.
Bayern loanee Krattenmacher with the first sight of goal, but he doesn't trouble Neuer.
2'
Up and running!
It's bouncing at the Donaustadion. It's not every day the record champions are in town!
Kick-off!
The hunters
Bayern haven't won the DFB Cup since 2019/20, with Leverkusen taking the prize along with the Bundesliga crown last term.
Past cupsets
Bayern have only ever lost once in the DFB Cup first round, losing to Vestenbergsgreuth in 1994/95 and Weinheim in 1990/91.
Time machine
Sixteen years ago yesterday, Bayern legend Müller made his Bundesliga debut against a Hamburg team featuring a certain Kompany for the last time before a move to Manchester City.
More on that Ulm team
Defender Niklas Kolbe and midfielders Lennart Stoll and Luka Hyryläinen come in for Ulm. Starters in the weekend loss to Regensburg, Tom Gaal, Bastian Allgeier and Philipp Maier make way.
Kompany sticks with the same starting line-up that beat Spurs in the second game of their pre-season friendly double-header. That means Harry Kane and summer signings João Palhinha and Michael Olise are among the substitutes. Germany contingent Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Thomas Müller and Jamal Musiala all start.
Wörle's Bayern past
When Thomas Wörle joined Ulm in summer 2021 down in the fourth tier, it was his first coaching role in men's football. The former midfielder had previously spent nine years in charge of Bayern's women's team, winning the Bundesliga Cup in 2011 - after taking over from his father Günther - and the club's second championship after an unbeaten 2014/15 campaign. He retained the title the following year (pictured). His older sister Tanja also played for Bayern
"We know that Bundesliga 2 is the most important competition for us, without a doubt. But now this competition is on pause, which is why we are fully committed to the cup. This is a really big game for us, and I don't just mean for us as a team, but for us as a club, for the city of Ulm, for the whole region, for the fans. It's a kind of bonus game for us, but one thing is clear: we're going to give it our all. We want to try to perform to our best."
"It's an important game. We've looked forward to playing this game for a long time. We saw how well they worked, how well they prepared their season as well. I don't think there's ever the intention for us to go into a game like this without the utmost respect for the opponent, but of course, always believing that it's for ourselves to bring our best level and then, of course, the pressure is always on us to win in these games. But we're looking forward to it."
Kane is yet to appear in the DFB Cup, having been an unused sub in the opening two rounds last season. He has, however, returned to action after Euro 2024, and could be set to start with a bang.
Since their 2019/20 treble win, Bayern have failed to make it past the quarter-final stage in the last four DFB Cup campaigns. Last season they exited at the hands of third tier Saarbrücken in the second round.
Seasons so far...
Bayern are yet to play a competitive match, but have four wins and a draw from their five pre-season fixtures, including back-to-back wins over Tottenham. Ulm, meanwhile, have two professional games under their belts, and although they've lost both in their Bundesliga 2 return, they've impressed in one-goal defeats.
Ulm's promotion to the Bundesliga 2 qualifies them directly for the DFB Cup, a competition they haven't been in since the 2020/21 season.
Tale of the tape
This will be the third professional meeting between Bayern and Ulm, who have only met competitively before in the 1999/2000 season, with Bayern winning both home and away league matches.
2:21
Watch: João Palhinha "I'm very proud"
Officially unveiled by the club, João Palhinha is hugely positive about his upcoming time at Bayern Munich.
New look Bayern?
This won't just be Kompany's first competitive game for Bayern, but potentially new signing João Palhinha's too. Michael Olise has also arrived from Crystal Palace but is unlikely to be available after the Olympics, while fellow new recruit Hiroki Ito picked up a long-term injury in pre-season.
Kompany's men cruised to a comfortable victory in their final pre-season friendly.
Bayern's season starts here
The Bavarians have been used to kicking off their campaign with an appearance in the DFL Supercup in recent years, but their third-place finish in the Bundesliga and early DFB Cup exit in 2023/24 means they return to a traditional curtain-raiser. Die Roten have enjoyed an unbeaten pre-season, which included two wins over Tottenham Hotspur, and could give debuts to three new faces in Michael Olisé, João Palhinha and Hiroki Ito.
Welcome!
The road to Berlin 2025 starts here for record DFB Cup winners Bayern Munich as they begin life under Vincent Kompany up against newly promoted Bundesliga 2 side Ulm on Friday.
