Bayern Munich 2-2 Hertha Berlin
As starts to the new Bundesliga campaign go, this could hardly have been more thrilling.
The game featured four goals, drama, and a result which defied the SBOBET Bundesliga betting odds.
If this is a sign of things to come over the next nine months, we are in for a treat.
Highlights of the game
After being pushed all the way by Borussia Dortmund last term – where at one point the champions were nine points behind their rivals – this was something of a new start for Bayern Munich.
After saying farewell in style to Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, Niko Kovac’s men had a slightly new look as they launched their title defence.
Mats Hummels and Rafinha have also gone, yet these are exciting times for the Bavarians.
They have strengthened with the acquisition of Benjamin Pavard, Lucas Hernandez and Fiete Arp and, in an attacking sense, the talented Ivan Perisic was this week snapped up on loan from Inter Milan.
Also, perhaps crucially, just before this clash kicked off came the news of an arrival which may create Bundesliga 2019 highlights galore in the season to come.
The imminent arrival of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona on a season-long loan will excite Munich fans and should fill the void left by Robben.
It was recognisable faces in the line-up in the Allianz Arena, however, which caught the eye in this encounter.
A healthy concoction of old timers and young upstarts took to the stage in the hotly anticipated curtain raiser and it didn’t take too long before a familiar figure made his mark.
Robert Lewandowski needs no introduction and last season claimed his third top scorer title and second on the spin with 22 goals, coupled with a further 10 assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances.
Although he didn’t find the net against Hertha Berlin then, it took him only 24 minutes to make his mark this time.
Serge Gnabry delivered the ball on a plate for the Polish frontman and he turned it home from close range with an outstretched leg.
That wasn’t the cue for a comfortable evening for the hosts, however.
Last season, Dodi Lukebakio became the first player in Bundesliga history to score a hat-trick past Manuel Neuer and the Bayern captain was soon picking the ball out of the net again from the 21 year-old livewire.
Lukebakio, who scored a hat-trick here for Fortuna Düsseldorf, marked his Hertha debut in some style with a shot which took a generous deflection off the back of Vedad Ibisevic to leave Neuer flat-footed as his net rippled behind him.
If that stunned Bayern, what followed six minutes before the break was even more of a surprise.
Ibisevic lifted the ball into the path of Marko Grujic who, despite having just clashed heads with Pavard moments earlier, showed the clarity to touch the ball wide of Neuer and tuck it in with his second touch.
Bayern were level on the hour when the first VAR ruling of the new German season came into effect.
Replays showed Grujic fouled the Polish striker and Lewandowski dusted himself up and fired the champions level.
New manager Ante Covic and his Hertha Berlin charges were not to be denied though and held out as Bayern failed to win their opening fixture of the season for the first time in eight years.
Kovac wasn’t impressed and said his side should have won but battling Berlin showed a spirit which should hold them in good stead.
Key statistics
Munich have not lost on the opening day of the season since 2002 (won 14, drawn five).
Lewandowski has become the first player ever to score in the first game of the season for five years running. He has also converted 23 of his 26 penalties in the Bundesliga.
The Polish striker scored more braces (six) than any other player in the league last season.
Lukebakio has scored five goals in three games against Bayern, four in Munich (level with Cristiano Ronaldo and Markus Rosenberg).
Both sides had just one summer recruit in their starting XIs: Pavard for Bayern, Lukebakio for Hertha.
Bayern are unbeaten in 25 Bundesliga home games against Hertha (won 19, drawn six).
However, the Berliners have lost just one of their last six league encounters with the record champions (1-0 in Munich last season).
What’s next?
Bayern travel to Schalke next weekend for their first away league match of the new season.
It’s a first home fixture of the season for Covic and Co at home to Wolfsburg on August 25.
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