Bayern Munich vs. Wolfsburg: Winners and Losers from Bundesliga Game
Bayern Munich produced a huge second-half comeback to destroy Wolfsburg 5-1 in the Bundesliga on Tuesday night.
The home side had more possession early on, but the first goal came at the opposite end, Daniel Caligiuri rifling home from inside the box to put Wolfsburg ahead.
Douglas Costa looked most dangerous for Bayern and Josuha Guilavogui hit the post from the halfway line for die Wolfe, but it remained 1-0 to the away team at half-time. That all changed after the break, with Robert Lewandowski coming on after the interval to net all five goals by the hour mark in an astonishing entrance.
Here are all our winners and losers from the match at the Allianz Arena.
Winner: Julian Draxler
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Almost everything good that Wolfsburg did in the first half went through Julian Draxler. Whether tight to the touchline or drifting infield, the former Schalke man continually sought to receive the ball in dangerous areas once die Wolfe had ridden the early wave of Bayern possession and create danger for his team.
A tremendous work rate and quick eye for a pass made him one of the most difficult players for the home side to pin down and stop working in space.
Clearly, we're being kind to Wolfsburg by including one of their performers in the winners' list—but they did prove to be the better side in the first 45 minutes, so it's fair. Unfortunately for his team, Draxler barely had a kick after the break.
Loser: Manuel Neuer
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Bayern Munich's goalkeeper got away with it in the end a little, but the match could have been very different had Josuha Guilavogui sent his shot about six inches more to the right.
Neuer was beaten at his near post by a fierce strike from Caligiuri for the match's opening goal, not necessarily a goal that was the 'keeper's fault but certainly one he'll reflect that he might have been better positioned for, given the way the attacker shaped to shoot with power toward that post.
Late in the first half, Neuer raced out to the halfway line to win the ball, lost it and was very, very nearly punished by Guilavogui who shot immediately from 50 yards, seeing the ball strike the post instead of going in.
Winner: Pep Guardiola
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At half-time, Bayern manager Pep Guardiola made two substitutions, bringing on Robert Lewandowski and Javi Martinez for Juan Bernat and Thiago Alcantara.
It changed the plan of attack for the home team, and certainly his words must have changed their mentality, too—Bayern came out and roared into life, playing at a better tempo and certainly with more cutting edge.
Importantly, they also played with someone in the side to stretch play, run into the area at all times—and clearly had super-special-shooting boots on.
Guardiola won't take all the credit for Lewandowski's finishing, of course, but his alterations to the tactical plan that clearly wasn't working came early on, and his team were mentally strong enough to deal with the first-half setback.
Loser: Naldo
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Either of Dante or Naldo could have been nominated really, but Naldo seemed absolutely terrified after the first couple of goals went in and simply gave up, whereas Dante did at least continue to talk to his team mates, make a few blocks and generally pick his game up again after a time.
Both centre-backs backed off considerably once Lewandowski entered the pitch, neither took responsibility for marking him tightly or closing him down, and Naldo was extremely slow to react on more than one occasion, especially for the third goal when he simply stood and watched as no fewer than three different attempts to score came in less than three seconds.
After a first half when he was strong aerially, easy in possession and looked assured, the second 45 minutes was a total nightmare.
Winner: Robert Lewandowski
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The night, of course, belonged to Robert Lewandowski.
Having started on the bench, he came on at half-time to score five times in nine minutes to blitz Wolfsburg's defence, shatter some Bundesliga records and keep his team on a 100 percent rate to start the season with.
Tap-ins, instinctive finishes and an absolute worldy of a volley for the fifth and final strike, Lewandowski came up with a full repertoire of goals on the night that most strikers would be proud of over the course of half a season, never mind half a game.
It takes the Pole to eight goals for the season already in league play.
