Bayern Munich vs. Darmstadt: Winners and Losers from DFB Pokal
Bayern Munich moved into the last eight of the DFB-Pokal with a narrow 1-0 victory over Darmstadt on Tuesday at the Allianz Arena.
The hosts entered as firm favorites, but Darmstadt defended deep and denied Bayern space in the final third. Facing such stubborn resistance, Bayern needed a special strike to make the breakthrough—and Xabi Alonso obliged with a spectacular goal in the 40th minute.
It turned out to be the winner, sending Bayern into Wednesday's quarter-final draw.
Here Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Xabi Alonso
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Darmstadt were defending deep, limiting space and forcing Bayern to attack with lofted passes and long-distance strikes. Nearly 40 minutes of scoreless football had elapsed, and the game was crying out for a moment of class.
Xabi Alonso provided just that.
The moment arose when Darmstadt were unable to fully clear their lines. The ball fell to Alonso 30 yards out, and the 34-year-old Spaniard took a touch to control it before lashing a powerful, dipping volley into the top corner. Darmstadt goalkeeper Christian Mathenia had no chance, and—although we didn't know it at the time—Bayern had the game's only goal.
"We practiced that in training yesterday," a grinning Pep Guardiola said, per Bayern's official Twitter account.
At 34, Alonso might not be the player he was in his prime. But this brilliant strike gave us another glimpse of the veteran midfielder in his pomp. It was a glorious sight.
Loser: Turning Possession into Goals
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When the draw came out, everyone knew how the broad outline of this game would play out. Bayern, masters of possession and passing, would control the ball against the Bundesliga newcomers, who would defend doggedly for 90 minutes.
True to form, Bayern held nearly 80 percent of the ball (79 percent, to be exact, per ESPN FC) while Darmstadt dropped deep to defend. But Bayern managed to score just the one goal—a spectacular strike at that—and finished with just three shots on target.
Over 90 minutes, Pep Guardiola's side didn't threaten Darmstadt's goal enough, especially considering how dominant they were in terms of possession and territory controlled.
Admittedly, Robert Lewandowski hit the post with a first-half header, and Thomas Muller and Kingsley Coman both came close with highlight-reel shots after the break. But this performance showed that the absences of players like Douglas Costa and Arjen Robben can prove costly.
As Ryan Cowper noted at Bavarian Football Works:
"The first half was plodding and pedantic. Bayern passed the ball from side to side, up and down the pitch and Darmstadt moved about 5 yards every time. They had little penetration through the Darmstadt lines and their only effective attacking route was over the top which worked on occasion, but in most cases just yielded minutes of endless clearances from Darmstadt.
[...]
Bayern Munich really miss Douglas Costa and Arjen Robben. Kingsley Coman is hugely valuable but he's still far too raw to carry this team's offensive creativity on his lonesome.
"
With a full squad at Guardiola's disposal, Bayern might have turned this game into a rout, as they've done on so many occasions in the recent past. As it was, this turned into a match to forget from an attacking standpoint.
Winner: Marcel Heller
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Darmstadt attacked only rarely, which was no surprise considering the amount of possession the visitors had. But when they did hold the ball, Darmstadt's best moves came through Marcel Heller on the left flank.
The 29-year-old winger created danger with his pace and dribbling ability, and in the 71st minute, one of his attacks nearly produced an equalizer. After scampering down the touchline, Heller whipped a cross into the middle for Sandro Wagner. The big striker rose high to meet the ball but could only head weakly at Manuel Neuer, who saved with ease.
The move failed to produce a goal, but Heller should be proud of his offensive contribution for Darmstadt.
Loser: Sandro Wagner
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As noted in the previous slide, Darmstadt had a good chance to equalize in the 71st minute as Marcel Heller picked out Sandro Wagner with a cross from the left.
At this level, Wagner had to bury the chance. Instead, he fluffed it.
Against Bayern, opposing teams rarely have good chances to score. That's especially true at the Allianz Arena.
Darmstadt had a chance to draw level in the second half. Wagner couldn't convert.
Winner: Home for the Holidays
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Tuesday marked Bayern's final home match of the season, with the club marking the occasion by offering fans a laser show after the final whistle (h/t Bayern's official Twitter account).
Although this wasn't a vintage performance, it was yet another victory at the Allianz Arena, where Bayern have a mighty record. Nearing the halfway point of the Bundesliga season, Die Roten have won all nine home games by a combined score of 32-3. It's been the same story in the UEFA Champions League, with Bayern winning three of three while outscoring opponents 14-1.
As 2016 approaches, fans have every reason to be excited. Bayern appear a lock to win the Bundesliga yet again, while sustained challenges are on the horizon in the DFB-Pokal and Champions League.
It's probably a bit too early to start talking about another treble, but Bayern's continued home form should give players, coaches and supporters plenty of optimism over the upcoming winter break.
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