In the most anticipated Bundesliga matchup of the early season, Bayern Munich confirmed its status as heavy favorite against Borussia Dortmund with a 2-1 victory and may have already secured its national title for 2025/26. Harry Kane once again put on a show and lived up to the expectations of passionate fans who once again packed the Allianz Arena.
Bayern dominated possession and pinned Dortmund back in their own half. The opening goal came in the 22nd minute via Harry Kane, who headed in from a corner Dortmund offered very little in attack during this half and were mostly defending. In second half, Nico Kovac's side improved and began to create more chances, putting Bayern under pressure.
But, no one expected the Bayern second goal, when their doubled lead when Michael Olise scored in the 78th minute, capitalising on a defensive error. Dortmund pulled a goal back in the 84th minute through Julian Brandt, setting up a tense finish. Despite Dortmund’s late surge, Bayern held on for the win.
Harry Kane was crucial: not only scoring the opener, but influencing play and linking up well. Bayern’s first-half dominance was clear but their finishing left room for doubt. Dortmund’s second-half resurgence underscored Bayern’s vulnerability under pressure, and tactical adjustment in the second half brought more urgency, yet their performance in the first half cost them the match.
The win extended Bayern’s winning streak and reinforced their top-position in the Bundesliga season. For Dortmund, this marked a first slump in their unbeaten run and highlighted that they still have work to do to match Bayern’s consistency.
Der Klasser tactical insights
Bayern started with a 4-2-3-1, but the shape morphed into a 3-2-5 during buildup. Joshua Kimmich dropped between the centre-backs, allowing Alphonso Davies to push high on the left and Michael Olise to occupy an inverted winger role on the right. This setup pinned Dortmund deep, creating overloads in half-spaces and freeing Leroy Sané to drift inside as a secondary playmaker.
Edin Terzić deployed a cautious shape early on, prioritizing defensive stability. Full-backs stayed deep, and midfielders (Sabitzer, Can, Nmecha) maintained narrow distances to block Bayern’s central lanes. However, this reactive approach ceded too much control and made Dortmund chase shadows for most of the first half. In the second half, Dortmund adopted a more assertive 4-2-3-1, pushing Brandt centrally and allowing Adeyemi to exploit space behind Davies. This shift improved ball progression, with Schlotterbeck and Hummels stepped higher to break Bayern’s first line of press.