The 2013-14 Bundesliga season kicked-off with a 3-1 win for defending champions FC Bayern Munich in the opening match against Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday.

Arjen Robben scored the first goal of the season when the Dutchman found the back of the net after a perfect delivery by Franck Ribèry. Bayern took advantage of a poor ball by Moenchengladbach’s keeper Marc-André ter Stegen as Ribéry found Robben in the box with a chip. Robben reacted quickly and put the ball past ter Stegen to give Bayern the lead.

Bayern doubled the lead just four minutes later when Mario Mandzukic slotted home. Robben’s freekick from the right wing deflected from the keeper and Manzukic took the rebound to make it 2-0.

Moenchengladbach had their chances to reduce the margin, but it needed an own goal by Bayern’s Brazilian international defender Dante to give the visitors some hope. Dante put a cross from the left side into the Bayern goal, while aiming to clear for a corner.

Pep Guardiola’s team continued to dominate the proceedings at the Allianz Arena in the second half.

Alvaro Dominguez gave away a penalty to the hosts after a handball and gave Bayern the chance to further increase the lead. Thomas Müller took the penalty but his shot was saved by ter Stegen. Dominguez challenged the rebound to produce a second penalty call for Bayern.

David Alaba took the second spot kick to send ter Stegen to the wrong corner and to make it 3-1 in the 69th minute. The reigning UEFA Champions League champions didn’t have any problems to secure the win and to seal a perfect start into the new season.

Bayern proved to be a strong contender for the Bundesliga title, but they did also show some glimpses of uncertainties in the defence. The 51st Bundesliga season promises to be an entertaining one and football fans around the globe can expect a lot from the German top flight in the coming months.

Bundesliga | Matchday 1 | Allianz Arena, Munich
FC BAYERN MUNICH 3-1 BORUSSIA MOENCHENGLADBACH

GOALS
1-0 Arjen Robben (12′)
2-0 Mario Mandzukic (16′)
2-1 Dante (40′, og)
3-1 David Alaba (69′, pen)

LINE-UPS

FC Bayern Munich
1 Manuel Neuer – 21 Philipp Lahm, 4 Dante, 17 Jerome Boateng, 27 David Alaba – 31 Bastian Schweinsteiger (73′ 15 Jan Kirchhoff) – 10 Arjen Robben, 25 Thomas Müller (77′ 13 Rafinha), 39 Toni Kroos (85′ 8 Javier Martinez), 7 Franck Ribéry – 9 Mario Mandzukic

Unused Subs
22 Tom Starke, 5 Daniel van Buyten, 11 Xherdan Shaqiri, 14 Claudio Pizarro

Borussia Moenchengladbach
1 Marc-André ter Stegen – 24 Tony Jantschke, 39 Martin Stranzl, 15 Alvaro Dominguez, 3 Filip Daems – 7 Patrick Herrmann (70′ 31 Branimir Hrgota), 23 Christoph Kramer (86′ 9 Luuk de Jong), 34 Granit Xhaka, 18 Juan Arango (70′ 25 Amin Younes) – 10 Max Kruse, 11 Raffael

Unused Subs
33 Christofer Heimeroth, 16 Havard Nordtveit, 17 Oscar Wendt, 27 Julian Korb

BOOKINGS

Yellow Cards
41′ Christoph Kramer (Borussia Moenchengladbach)
53′ Martin Stranzl (Borussia Moenchengladbach)
68′ Alvaro Dominguez (Borussia Moenchengladbach)
83′ Mario Mandzukic (FC Bayern Munich)

Yellow-Red Cards
none

Red Cards
none

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee
Tobias Welz

Assistant Referees
Rafael Foltyn, Patrick Ittrich

Fourth Official
Daniel Siebert