Aston Villa concluded their Asia Tour with a 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in Hong Kong, a match that served as a final fitness test before Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite the loss, there were encouraging signs, particularly from new signing Evann Guessand and midfielder João Gomes, who was arguably the best player on the pitch.
Match Report: Bayern's Set-Piece Prowess Decides Close Contest
Bayern broke the deadlock in the 36th minute when Kim Min-jae headed home from Tom Bischof's free-kick, delivered from the left. Villa struggled to create clear-cut openings for much of the contest, but Evann Guessand was presented with a golden opportunity to equalise before the hour mark. Emi Buendía picked him out with a pinpoint free-kick, but instead of heading the ball, the striker attempted a volley and failed to make clean contact.
Unai Emery kept the same XI at the start of the second half before introducing Tammy Abraham and Lamare Bogarde in place of Brian Madjo and Boubacar Kamara on the hour mark. Marco Bizot then produced a brilliant double save in the 66th minute to keep Villa in the contest. After Luis Díaz got the better of Matty Cash, the ball broke for Josip Stanišić, whose powerful effort was kept out by Bizot's feet. The goalkeeper then reacted superbly to spring up and deny Ibrahimović from the rebound.
Bayern Double Lead, Villa's Late Rally Falls Short
Bayern doubled their lead in the 73rd minute when Díaz fired into the roof of the net off the underside of the crossbar from inside the penalty area. Villa pulled a goal back late on through João Gomes, whose superb strike from the edge of the box gave Manuel Neuer no chance. Moments later, Tammy Abraham almost grabbed an equaliser, but Neuer produced a stunning save to claw away the striker's powerful header.
The match highlighted Villa's resilience and attacking potential, but also exposed defensive vulnerabilities that Emery will need to address before the Super Cup. The fitness gained from this competitive outing, however, is invaluable.
Player Ratings: Bizot and Gomes Stand Out
Marco Bizot was forced into his first save in the 26th minute, beating away Pavlović's effort. There was little he could do to prevent Kim Min-jae's goal, but he produced an excellent double save in the 66th minute. Matty Cash, captaining Villa today, defended well against young winger Cardozo in the first half before facing the unenviable task of dealing with Díaz after he came off the bench.
Victor Lindelöf was composed on the ball and partnered Torres well at the heart of the defence before Tyrone Mings replaced him for the final 25 minutes. Pau Torres played a number of excellent progressive passes into the feet of Buendía and Madjo and looked comfortable in possession throughout. Ian Maatsen made a key intervention in the third minute, turning Ibrahimović's effort wide of the post. He defended well and was also effective in tight spaces with the ball at his feet.
Boubacar Kamara covered the ground well, especially considering this was his first start since suffering a long-term knee injury around seven months ago. It was an important hour in the legs as he continues to build back towards full fitness. João Gomes played deeper than Kamara, allowing his teammate to press higher up the pitch. He relished getting into the faces of the Bayern attackers and winning the ball back. The Brazilian left a mark on Pavlović early in the second half but escaped a booking before scoring a lovely goal to halve the deficit. Arguably the best player on the pitch.
New Signing Guessand Shows Promise Despite Miss
George Hemmings was seen playing from the right for the first time. He wasn't afraid to take on the Bayern left-back or cut inside onto his weaker left foot, though he faded as the first half wore on. Evann Guessand played more as a support act to Madjo rather than leading the line, as he had done in Villa's previous two Far East games. Bayern's Cardozo was booked for pulling him back as he looked to break into the final third, but aside from that he had few positive moments in possession. After the break, he missed a glorious chance when Buendía picked him out with a free-kick. Rather than heading the ball, the Ivorian opted to volley it and couldn't beat Neuer.
Emi Buendía operated from the left rather than centrally, although he frequently drifted inside. He worked hard out of possession and used the ball effectively. Like Hemmings, he was limited to fleeting opportunities to influence the game. Brian Madjo backed himself against Jonathan Tah despite the gulf in experience. He caused Bayern problems by running the channels and using his strength to hold off defenders. He needed more service to give himself a better chance of finding the scoresheet.
Substitutes Make an Impact
Tammy Abraham (for Madjo, 60') was given his first pre-season minutes after recovering from shoulder surgery last month to start training again. He should have equalised for Villa late on, but his header was well-saved by Neuer. Lamare Bogarde (for Kamara, 60') slotted into the double pivot alongside Gomes. Tyrone Mings (for Torres, 67') stood up to Brown's effort in the 70th minute, blocking it before it could reach Bizot's goal.
Luka Lynch (for Guessand, 67') was lively off the bench again, with Sacha Boey booked for taking him down after showing quick feet to initially escape him. Kosta Nedeljkovic (for Cash, 79') used his energy down the right to cause problems for Bayern in the closing stages. Brad Burrowes (for Buendia, 80') was excellent off the bench, running at the Bayern defenders and producing quality deliveries too. Triston Rowe (for Maatsen, 80') played from left-back once again, and like the rest of the subs, impressed late on. Subs not used: Wright, Asemota, Carroll.
Goals and Key Moments
Bayern Munich's goals came from Min-Jae (36') and Diaz (73'), while Aston Villa's goal was scored by Gomes (82'). The match was played at Kai Tak Stadium, where the pitch condition was less than ideal, but both teams treated it as a fitness exercise.
Looking Ahead: Super Cup and Season Start
Villa's next match against Paris Saint-Germain is a competitive one - the UEFA Super Cup. Villa fans will view it as a free hit, and there will be no tears should Villa fail to win on Wednesday, but it is still a fantastic opportunity to build momentum heading into the new campaign. The game against Borussia Mönchengladbach will then act as the dress rehearsal for the new season, which begins away at Brighton at the Amex the following weekend.
The concern for Villa is that new signing Alejandro Garnacho and captain John McGinn missed today's game against Bayern due to respective injuries, while Emi Martínez, Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins are yet to report for pre-season. Given that all three players who went deep into the World Cup have been named in the Super Cup squad, you would expect them to return to Bodymoor at the start of next week.
Villa's squad still has some glaring gaps, with a lack of depth at left-back, right-back and on the right wing. The club could also do with another midfield option following the ACL injury suffered by Amadou Onana at the World Cup. Despite these concerns, the performance against Bayern offered reasons for optimism, particularly the form of João Gomes and the potential of new signings like Guessand.
