FC Nottingen vs. Bayern Munich: Winners and Losers from DFB-Pokal
Bayern Munich passed their first test of the 2015-16 DFB-Pokal on Sunday, beating fifth-tier side Nottingen 3-1. The victory may seem rather small considering the German giants' class and that their opponents were amateurs, but the result was never in the balance, and Bayern scored three early goals to put the game to rest within 26 minutes.
Arturo Vidal was first to score, netting from the penalty spot in the fifth minute. Nottingen shocked their visitors as Niklas Hecht-Zirpel equalized shortly thereafter. However, Mario Gotze scored a minute later to restore Bayern's advantage. Robert Lewandowski added a third on 26 minutes to effectively end the game as a contest.
Following Bayern's victory, B/R takes a look back on the match, picking out the winners and losers from the events as they played out. Click "Begin Slideshow" for all our selections.
Winner: Niklas Hecht-Zirpel
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Given that few first-division sides are able to score against the mighty Bayern Munich, Nottingen certainly weren't expected to get on the scoresheet. Yet on Sunday, Niklas Hecht-Zirpel managed to do the unthinkable and equalize for the fifth-tier hosts against their world-class opponents.
Scoreline parity would prove to be short-lived, with Mario Gotze restoring Bayern’s lead moments later, but Hecht-Zirpel will nonetheless have a story to tell: the day he scored against mighty Bayern.
Winner: Arturo Vidal
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Arturo Vidal made his first competitive start for Bayern on Sunday and marked the occasion in his own, personal style.
It was perfectly fitting of the Chilean to net the opener from the penalty spot and to be shown a yellow card for a rather reckless tackle within the opening seven minutes. Vidal was a great leader and penalty-taker at Juventus, and he's begun his Bayern career in a positive way.
Vidal will need to be careful not to accumulate too many bookings as the season progresses, although suspension in the Pokal from repeated yellow cards is almost impossible, given that he'd have to be booked in all five rounds before the final in order to miss out on the showpiece if Bayern get there.
In this case, a yellow card may actually be something of a positive: Although it can get him into trouble, Vidal's sheer aggression, even against fifth-tier opposition, is admirable. He put his best foot forward on Sunday and looks set to be a key player for Bayern this season.
Losers: Bayern's Defense
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It's a bit embarrassing to concede a goal to a team of amateurs, and the manner in which Bayern did was particularly disappointing. David Alaba made an uncharacteristic mistake before Sven Ulreich made the mistake of allowing the ball to rebound off his gloves directly in front of goal for Hecht-Zirpel's equalizer.
If the goal conceded had been the only real opportunity for Nottingen, Bayern's defense may have been worthy of a free pass. But in fairness, they conceded several rather good chances throughout the game, primarily because of a lack of focus. They weren't punished again on Sunday, but in the Bundesliga, such sluggishness surely will be.
Winner: Mario Gotze
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Amid uncertainty over his future at Bayern and just how he might fit into Pep Guardiola's plans, Mario Gotze made a good appeal to be high on the coach's pecking order on Sunday. The Germany international restored Bayern's lead just moments after his side had conceded the equalizer and came close with another first-half effort.
Gotze faded a bit and in truth could have done a bit more, but this was a game in which his main competitors for a starting berth, Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller and Douglas Costa, neither scored nor played the final ball for any of the goals. As a player who scored, and one who did so with a meaningful goal, Gotze came out a winner from Sunday's proceedings.
Winner: Douglas Costa
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Despite neither scoring nor assisting, Douglas Costa had a great game for Bayern on the wing and further added to his credentials as the player who can and will be their long-term replacement for Franck Ribery.
The Brazilian wreaked havoc on the Nottingen defense, beating his marker again and again to set up scoring opportunities. The way he can get past defenders with such ease is hugely important, and that ability is exactly what made Ribery such a hit at the Allianz Arena.
There is something to be said for end product, and Costa still has something to prove in terms of his precision both in front of goal and when playing the final ball. But if he does prove himself in those regards, he could well become one of world football's finest attackers.
