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Bayern Munich were on fire in a 5-2 comeback win against FC Augsburg, launching a second-half outburst of four goals and never looking back as they move on from the second round of the DFB-Pokal.
A very important character in Bayern’s response to going 0-1 down early? Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Suddenly, Bayern have a nine again. Over the last two games Choupo has been brilliant and his physicality, his qualities as a pure #9, his hold-up and link-up play have received the praise they deserve. It’s a fire blazing so hot that manager Julian Nagelsmann is facing questions on whether the Cameroonian forward has nailed down a fixed spot in the XI going forward — though on that point, Nagelsmann demurred.
“Generally, no one is set, we want to keep the competition high,” Nagelsmann said after the game (via Tz). “But he did well again today.”
Choupo, of course, contributed not only the first Bayern goal at 27’, but the assist to Joshua Kimmich at 53’ that broke the deadlock — and then a fine poacher’s finish of a loose ball in the box to (nearly) put the game to bed at 59’.
“The second goal was a classic nine-goal, so he’s in exactly the right place. That’s also intuition,” Nagelsmann enthused. “But I also think that his way up front is good for us, his physicality, holding the balls. Especially when an opponent like Augsburg defends man-to-man with an extreme amount of risk.”
Augsburg certainly brought everything they had to this one, with pressure and physicality in the form of Ermedin Demirović, Florian Grillitsch and others. But thanks in part to Choupo — the ace of the hour — Bayern wound up with all the answers.
Want more discussion about the game? Check out our Postgame Podcast! Listen to it below or on Spotify.
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