German champions Bayern Munich delivered a ruthless statement of intent at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday, dismantling New Zealand’s Auckland City 10-0 in a Group C opener held under the midday sun in Cincinnati, USA.
Despite the wide gulf in quality between the two teams, Bayern approached the match with focus and intensity. France winger Kingsley Coman opened the scoring in the 6th minute, the first goal of the tournament, and added a second by the 21st. Fellow countrymen Sacha Boey and Michael Olise also found the net early, while veteran forward Thomas Müller, in what may be his final tournament for the club, bagged a brace including Bayern’s 10th of the day and his 250th goal for the club.
Olise’s second goal just before halftime stood out as one of the game’s finest, a brilliant curling strike from the right into the far corner, sealing a 6-0 lead at the break.
The second half saw super-sub Jamal Musiala steal the show. The young German midfielder came off the bench to score a rapid hat-trick, including a calmly taken penalty after being fouled in the box. His treble, completed in just 18 minutes, capped off a dominant display for Vincent Kompany’s side.
Despite the drubbing, Auckland City, 13-time Oceania Champions League winners, showed admirable spirit. Their amateur players had taken unpaid leave to participate in the tournament, a fact not lost on their interim coach, Ivan Vicelich.
“This is the reality of football against one of the world’s top teams. It’s a dream for our players just to be on this stage,” Vicelich said after the match.
Bayern’s head coach Vincent Kompany praised his players’ professional attitude:
“We have to remain modest, but it was important to show we took the game seriously. The challenges will only get tougher.”
The 10-0 scoreline matches Bayern’s biggest Bundesliga win margin, an 11-1 demolition of Borussia Dortmund in 1971, and underlines their credentials as serious contenders for the expanded Club World Cup title.
What’s Next
Bayern will face South American giants Boca Juniors in their next match on Friday in Miami, while Auckland City look to salvage pride against Benfica earlier the same day in Orlando.
