Bayern Munich lose 2-1 to third-tier Wehen Wiesbaden with squad averaging 17.6 years
In the first friendly of the summer, a Bayern Munich team with an average age of 17.6 lost 2-1 to third-division SV Wehen Wiesbaden, celebrating its 100th anniversary. Stars like Harry Kane were still absent after the World Cup.
Return to familiar ground
The friendly marked a return to the stadium where Bayern had begun their DFB-Pokal campaign last season with a 3-2 victory in the first round. After four training sessions at the Säbener Strasse, Saturday's match in sweltering heat (temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius) was the first test of team organisation. Both sides made wholesale substitutions at half-time.
Young guns and a rapid start
Head coach Vincent Kompany fielded a starting eleven with an average age of just 17.6 years, drawing entirely from the club's academy. Sixteen-year-old goalkeeper David Podar-Stiube made his first appearance, alongside Raphael Pavlic (18), Skender Nuraj (16), Adam El Chaar (17), Roko Mijatovic (18) and Bastian Assomo (16). Many of the names were unfamiliar even to die-hard Bayern supporters.
The hosts needed only ten minutes to open the scoring, Ibrahim Ati Allah converting the first shot of the game. Guido Della Rovere later curled a free-kick narrowly over the bar, and Tim Binder twice forced saves from Wiesbaden goalkeeper Noah Brdar. Bayern's youngsters struggled to create clear openings against a Wehen side already in final pre-season form.
- Ibrahim Ati Allah scores for Wiesbaden (1-0)
- Guido Della Rovere's free-kick goes over the bar
- Tom Bischof converts penalty for Bayern (1-1)
- Lukas Schleimer scores winner for Wiesbaden (2-1)
Late winner spoils the occasion
After the interval Kompany introduced more experienced players including veteran goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, Tom Bischof, Sacha Boey and João Palhinha. The changes brought fresh energy. In the 57th minute, Binder was fouled by former Bayern junior Justin Janitzek, earning a penalty. Bischof sent the keeper the wrong way with a casual finish to level at 1-1.
Wiesbaden responded and regained the lead seven minutes from time. Lukas Schleimer beat Ulreich to make it 2-1 in the 83rd minute. Despite a spirited closing push, Bayern's young squad could not find a second equaliser.
Christoph Freund, Bayern's sport director, offered a measured assessment.
It was a first test after a week in which we trained with a very large group. Many young players were involved and the important thing was that nobody got injured.
He described the performance as "a good re-entry."
Stars missing, transfer candidates play
Harry Kane and the club's other World Cup participants were absent following the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. They are expected to join the squad later in pre-season. Among the returnees who did feature, right-back Sacha Boey and midfielder João Palhinha are considered candidates to leave the club this summer, according to reports. Their second-half appearances may have been an opportunity to showcase themselves.
What comes next
Bayern travel to a training camp at Tegernsee on Monday. The first competitive match is the Supercup against Borussia Dortmund on 22 August. Wiesbaden, meanwhile, begin their third-division campaign on 8 August at home to Preußen Münster.
