Bayern Munich Beat Boca Juniors To Advance At The FIFA Club World Cup

Bayern Munich has advanced from the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-1 win over Boca Juniors in front of 63,587 at a sold-out Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Bayern secured the win thanks to goals by Harry Kane (18’) and Michael Olise (84’). Miguel Merentiel (66’) had the majority of the crowd, who supported Boca going when he scored the equalizer.

Indeed, it felt like a home game for Boca, who had come out in significant numbers to support the Xeneize. Riled up by the crowd, Boca tried to grind down Bayern with the same physical play they used against Benfica. But Bayern responded in kind as Boca led with 18 to 13 fouls at the end of the match.

“We saw how tough it’s been for European teams playing against South American teams,” Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany said at the end of the game. “I thought we did really well tonight. We managed our emotions. The way we finished the game was very mature. It was a solid performance. It’s the Club World Cup; every win is difficult.”

While Bayern matched Boca’s physical play, they also dominated possession of the ball. The Munich giants would finish the game with 73% possession. They also kept entangling Boca in one-on-one situations, finishing the match with 28 to 9 dribbles. They also had the better chance,s ending the game with an xG of 2.36 to 0.72.

Ultimately, they could have made tonight much easier for themselves. It was one moment of gullible play that led to Merentiel’s equalizer. Olise lost the ball in the final third, and then Jonathan Tah and Josip Stanisic were overrun as Merentiel was very much gifted a goal.

“I take responsibility for the fact that we didn’t organize the rest defense well enough beforehand, and that’s how we got into this open situation,” Tah said. “I have to organize it better, then it wouldn’t happen.”

The goal briefly derailed Bayern’s path to the round of 16. But then Olise, as it often has been the case this season, rescued Bayern with a brilliant goal from inside the box. The goal was even more important because it came moments after superstar Jamal Musiala was brought off with an injury.

“Big performance from the boys tonight,” Bayern striker Kane said. “We knew it would be a hostile atmosphere. I thought we should’ve been 3-0 or 4-0 up in the first half. I’m happy to have helped the team with the goal. This is a massive tournament. I’ve always said it’s us against us; that’s our mindset. We want to compete at the highest level. So far, so good. We need to carry on.”

With the three points secured, Bayern has now secured their passage to the round of 16 ahead of their clash against Benfica. In theory, this is a good opportunity to rotate the squad. “I don’t like the word rotation,” Kompany said. “The priority is to win the group.”

That doesn’t mean there won’t be some changes. “We’ll see how the players are feeling physically,” Kompany said. “We have such good players that any team we put out on the pitch will be a good team.”