Against FC Bayern, USMNT defender Kristoffer Lund said: ‘You have to accept the terms of the game.’
For the second straight game, record-setting Bayern Munich looked only human. Only human, that is, somewhere on the way to a decisive victory that is keeping Bundesliga title dreams all but out of reach for even the most ambitious of rivals.
This time the score was not 8-1 but as soon as Bayern equalized, there was just that air of inevitability about the eventual comeback, even in a tough road atmosphere against a feisty FC Köln side.
After the match, ESPN sideline reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt caught up with Köln defender Kristoffer Lund, who described his team’s efforts — and just what it is like to go up against an indomitable juggernaut.
“I feel like we came very good into the beginning of the game. We had a huge chance at 1’. We fought very well and were very well-structured in the first half, and also [scored] on the 1-0. Of course, possession-wise they dominated, but we fought a lot. In the second half, they were just better than us,” said Lund, who has seven caps with the USMNT.
But it was his assessment of the Bayern team that was more revealing.
“When you’re in it, you’re not frustrated because you know that’s how it’s going to be when you play against Bayern,” Lund went on. “You have to accept the terms of the game…of course, it’s very impressive how they can keep going. At the end of the game [as Köln players were getting tired] you see the Bayern players: [Konrad] Laimer, keeps running, [Luis] Díaz, keeps attacking. That’s what I feel like ended up giving them the win today.
“When we scored for 1-0, the first thought is score the 2-0, of course. But we also know the game. We played them not so long ago where we did well in the beginning, then they kill us in the end. We know individually, if we just go man-to-man the entire game, it’s going to be very difficult. But collectively, we always have a chance, even against Bayern. We showed that today…in the end, it didn’t work out. Now we have a very important game in the weekend.”
In the end, talent goes only so far as the application of it. And at Bayern, tenacity is in no short supply. Across 90 grueling minutes, it is going to be hard for anyone to maintain the energy Bayern does…and that doesn’t begin to touch the quality that comes off the Bavarian bench.
This is truly looking like a Bundesliga season for the ages. Even in a midweek contest where Bayern and Vincent Kopmany were probably looking forward to the weekend (Saturday, at Leipzig), the Bavarians gave their all, and found a way to collect their three points and leave.
Can anyone stop Bayern at all?
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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Category: General Sports
