Bayern squeeze past Gladbach on penalties in Bundesliga warm-up

Berlin (AFP) – Mats Hummels converted the decisive spot-kick on Sunday as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Moenchengladbach in a penalty shoot-out to win a Bundesliga warm-up tournament after a 0-0 draw.

With the German top flight resuming Friday, Bayern lifted the four-team Telekom Cup in Duesseldorf after both of their 45-minute matches were settled on penalties.

Fortuna Duesseldorf hosted the annual day-long tournament, also featuring Bayern, Gladbach and Hertha Berlin.

After the final finished goalless, Bayern held their nerve in the shoot-out after Sandro Wagner and Gladbach’s Patrick Herrmann both had their spot-kicks saved.

Gladbach’s Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria cannoned his effort off the post before Hummels coolly chipped home his penalty to hand Bayern the trophy.

Canadian starlet Alphonso Davies, the 18-year-old who Bayern signed for $13 million (11.4m euros) — the highest transfer fee ever for a Major League Soccer player — from Vancouver Whitecaps, made his Munich debut in the final after joining the Bavarian giants on January 1.

Bayern, second in the Bundesliga and six points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund, kick off the second half of the league season at Hoffenheim on Friday while third-placed Gladbach resume their campaign at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

In the third-place play-off in Duesseldorf, Fortuna beat Hertha Berlin 3-1 with striker Marvin Ducksch settling the matter with two goals.

Bayern had earlier reached the final with an 8-7 shoot-out win over hosts Fortuna, with Germany defender Niklas Suele netting the key penalty.

Gladbach reached the final when Thorgan Hazard scored a stunning goal, unleashing a fierce shot just five minutes into the first semi-final to seal a 1-0 victory over Hertha.