Bayern Munich 10 – 0 Auckland City
The ‘amateur’ side Auckland City managed to fire their first shot on goal only late in the game — a moment that sparked cheers in the stands.
On one side stood one of the best club teams in world football; on the other, a team that treats the game more like entertainment, often described as ‘part-timers.’ On the pitch, the difference showed clearly — Bayern Munich toyed with Auckland City.
At Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium on Sunday, Bayern launched their Club World Cup journey with a resounding 10-0 victory. Jamal Musiala, coming off the bench, netted a hat-trick, while Kingsley Coman, Thomas Müller, and Michael Cuisance each scored twice. Sasha Büe also added a goal.
Many Auckland City players head out for their day jobs at dawn — some work as real estate agents, students, or teachers. Like coach Ivan Vučelić, many players took unpaid leave to play. In the world of professional football, everything about this team is unusual and surprising.
Right from the kickoff, Auckland City positioned themselves deep inside and around their penalty box, naturally adopting a defensive approach — but it barely slowed Bayern’s attack.
Bayern’s goal fest began in the 6th minute when Jonathan Tah headed down a corner, setting up Kingsley Coman for a neat finish to put Bayern ahead.
From there, Bayern’s storm didn’t relent. Within just a few minutes, the German side scored three more times in a blistering three-minute spell.
In the 18th minute, French defender Sasha Büe doubled the lead with a difficult finish from a tight angle, followed closely by Michael Cuisance scoring from close range. At 21 minutes, Coman added his second goal with a precise left-foot shot.
Just before halftime, Müller found the net off a pass from Cuisance to extend the lead, and moments later, Cuisance hammered a powerful shot from outside the box to make it 6-0.
Facing opponents so many levels above them, Auckland City couldn’t create any meaningful threat. Bayern took 15 shots in the first half, with 9 on target, while City failed to register a single shot.
The second half saw no change in momentum. Bayern kept relentless pressure, overwhelming their opponents with wave after wave of attack.
In the 61st minute, within 12 minutes of coming on as a substitute for Harry Kane, Musiala scored twice — first, a composed finish from outside the box off Müller’s pass, and then a penalty in the 73rd minute to extend Bayern’s lead even further.
Auckland City, who held possession for just about 25% of the match, finally fired their first shot in the 80th minute — a 25-yard effort by Angus, which went straight to the goalkeeper. That rare moment earned applause from the crowd.
Musiala then completed his hat-trick in the 84th minute with a right-footed strike inside the box, marking Bayern’s ninth goal.
Career-long Bayern player Müller added his second goal with a brilliant volley in the 89th minute. For the 35-year-old German forward, this tournament marks his final appearance for Munich.
