Successful Dress Rehearsal: FC Bayern Wins Test Match Against Heidenheim
Munich, August 19 – FC Bayern Munich successfully concluded their 2026/27 pre-season preparations with a 4-2 away victory against second-division side 1. FC Heidenheim. The dress rehearsal, played on Tuesday evening, August 18, saw goals from Felipe Chávez, Arijon Ibrahimović, Luis Díaz, and Nathaniel Brown, with several key players gaining valuable playing time ahead of the Supercup.
Match Highlights: Four Goals, Four Scorers
The match at the Voith-Arena started with a setback for the Reds, as Yannik Wagner put Heidenheim ahead in the 5th minute. However, Felipe Chávez leveled the score in the 25th minute with a spectacular free-kick from just outside the box. Julian Niehues then restored Heidenheim’s lead before halftime, making it 2-1 in the 44th minute.
FC Bayern started the second half with renewed vigor. Arijon Ibrahimović, returning to his former club, converted a penalty in the 47th minute to equalize at 2-2 after Tim Binder was fouled in the box. The winning goals came late in the game from substitutes Luis Díaz (78th minute), following a strong solo effort from Michael Olise, and Nathaniel Brown (83rd minute), who capped off a remarkable solo run with a goal to seal the 4-2 victory.
First Appearances for Upamecano, Kane & Olise
The friendly also marked the first pre-season appearances for several players who joined the team later due to their participation in the World Cup. Dayot Upamecano started the match, while Harry Kane and Michael Olise were introduced in the 60th minute, getting their first minutes of play ahead of the competitive season opener. Alphonso Davies captained the team for this match.
Key players such as Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, and Tom Bischof were not part of the squad for the Heidenheim trip. They instead underwent an intensive training session at Säbener Straße as part of their individualized pre-season management.
Early Setback and Chávez’s Stunner
Heidenheim started the match with confidence, taking an early lead through Yannik Wagner after a midfield turnover. Jonas Urbig, in goal for Bayern, made a crucial save against Wagner in the 17th minute to prevent an earlier second goal. However, it was Chávez’s stunning free-kick in the 25th minute that truly brought Bayern back into the game, curling the ball under the crossbar to make it 1-1. Despite Bayern dominating possession, Heidenheim managed to snatch a late first-half lead with Niehues’ volley.
Second Half Comeback and Substitutes’ Impact
The second half saw a more determined Bayern side. Ibrahimović’s penalty quickly brought them level. Coach Vincent Kompany made significant changes around the 60-minute mark, bringing on seven new players, including Kane and Olise. Jamal Musiala, who later had to be substituted due to injury, set up Kane for a chance in the 65th minute, but Thomas Dähne in the Heidenheim goal made a strong save. Luis Díaz and Brown then secured the victory with their late goals, showcasing the depth of the Bayern squad.
Ready for the Supercup!
With this successful dress rehearsal, FC Bayern is now set for their first competitive match of the new season. They will face vice-champions Borussia Dortmund in the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on Saturday, August 22. Kick-off for the highly anticipated match is at 8:30 PM.
Squads:
1. FC Heidenheim: Dähne – Busch (71. Paçarada), Gimber (46. Siersleben), Mainka (76. Costly), Föhrenbach (46. Mhamdi) – Nihues (76. Kölle), Kerber (58. Schöppner) – Hennrich (75. Zrilić), Breunig (71. Pieringer), Wagner (58. Honsak) – Kaufmann (71. Zivzivadze).
Substitutes: Feller – Beck.
FC Bayern: Urbig – Boey (60. Pavlović), Upamecano (33. Minjae), Ito, Davies (46. Brown (89. Pavić)) – Chávez (60. Stanišić), Bara – Binder (60. Olise), Cardozo (60. Luis Díaz), Mike (34. Saibari (60. Musiala (69. Kiala))) – Ibrahimović (60. Kane).
Substitutes: Bärtl.
Referee: Martin Petersen (Stuttgart)
Attendance: 11,727
Goals: 1:0 Wagner (5.), 1:1 Chávez (25.), 2:1 Niehues (44.), 2:2 Ibrahimović (47.), 2:3 Luis Díaz (78.), 2:4 Brown (83.)
Yellow Cards: Kerber / Binder, Olise
Source: https://fcbayern.com/de/news/spielberichte/2026/08/spielbericht-testspiel-1.-fc-heidenheim-fc-bayern
