Gomes scores for Aston Villa in defeat by Bayern Munich in Hong Kong
Gomes scores for Aston Villa in defeat by Bayern Munich in Hong Kong
Kieran CrichardFri, August 7, 2026 at 2:10 PM UTC
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Luis Diaz, pictured taking on Villa’s Matty Cash, scored what proved to be the winner for Bayern in Hong Kong - Tyrone Siu/ReutersAston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 2
Aston Villa’s tour of the Far East ended in defeat as they lost 2-1 to German champions Bayern Munich in a pre-season friendly at the Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong on Friday.
Bayern took the lead inside the final 10 minutes of the first half, with defender Kim Min-jae heading in from Tom Bischof’s sublime free-kick. Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot made a string of saves in the second half to keep Bayern’s lead at one goal until former Liverpool forward Luis Díaz smashed in Bayern’s second off the underside of the bar.
Just as the game appeared to be out of reach for Aston Villa, who had struggled to create much going forward for most of the game, Unai Emery’s side showed some life late on. Summer signing João Gomes’s goal from the edge of the box gave them hope before Tammy Abraham nearly brought them back onto level terms, only to be denied by a fine save from 40-year-old Manuel Neuer.
Aston Villa are next in action in six days’ time when they take on Paris St-Germain in the Uefa Super Cup before kicking off their Premier League campaign at Brighton. Bayern have one more friendly to come against RB Leipzig before the DFL-Supercup against Borussia Dortmund. They then kick off the defence of their Bundesliga crown against Stuttgart at home on August 28.
03:05pm
40-year-old Neuer still going
03:02pm
What is to come for Aston Villa?
Unai Emery’s men head home from the Far East to face PSG in the Uefa Super Cup in Salzburg next week and then have one more pre-season friendly against Borussia Monchengladbach before starting their Premier League campaign at Brighton.
03:00pm
FT stats
Possession: Aston Villa 44%-56% Bayern MunichShots: 8-16Shots on target: 3-8Corners: 3-7
02:56pm
Full time
Bizot nearly has a calamitous moment coming out of his penalty area but gets away with it.
The final whistle is blown soon after and Bayern hold on to beat Villa 2-1 in Hong Kong. They had looked comfortable when Diaz put them 2-0 up but Villa kept going until the end.
02:54pm
90+3 mins: Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 2
The space opens up for Palhinha to shoot from range but Bizot makes a fairly comfortable save down to his right.
02:53pm
90+2 mins: Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 2
It was all Bayern for 80 minutes of this game but Villa have come to life in the closing stages, with Vincent Kompany’s side now holding on a bit.
02:52pm
90 mins: Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 2
There will be four added minutes.
02:50pm
89 mins: Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 2
When Diaz scored Bayern’s second goal, Aston Villa were out of this game but it has been all Villa since then. They look the more likely to get a goal.
Gomes’ free-kick out on the left is parried behind by Neuer for a Villa corner on the right. The corner comes to nothing.
02:47pm
84 mins: Aston Villa 1 Bayern Munich 2
For 80 minutes, Aston Villa barely looked like scoring but come so close to getting two goals in just a few minutes. Abraham meets a cross from the right and must think he has scored but his header is brilliantly saved by the 40-year-old Neuer.
02:45pmKey moments • Goals
GOAL! Gomes stunner gets one back for Aston Villa
Maybe this game is not quite done and dusted yet. A cross from the right picks out Gomes on the edge of the box. The Brazilian takes one touch before toe poking past Neuer and into the Bayern net. Gomes meant that finish and Villa have some hope.
02:44pm
82 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 2
Abraham should have done better there. He has the space to drive down Villa’s right and has a decision to make; cross the ball to his left and drive forward himself to shoot. He takes a while to make the decision before his attempted cross is intercepted by Ito.
02:42pm
80 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 2
Boey’s yellow card was his final act of the game as he is replaced by Della Rovere. Boey did seem to be struggling with some cramp.
02:40pm
78 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 2
Bayern receive their second yellow card of the game as Boey is booked for cynically pulling down Lynch.
Cash, Maatsen and Buendia have gone off for Aston Villa.
02:38pm
76 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 2
Double substitution from Bayern as Pavic and Assomo replace Tah and Brown.
02:35pmKey moments • Goals
GOAL! Diaz stunner doubles Bayern Munich’s lead
A fantastic goal to put the Germans 2-0 up and it is nothing more than they deserve. Ibrahimovic finds Diaz in space on the left and the Colombian drives at Cash. As he enters the Villa box, Diaz cuts inside onto his preferred right foot and smashes a shot towards goal. It appeared to go right over Bizot, who opts not to put a hand up. The ball crashes off the underside of the bar and goes in. It has been all Bayern in this second half and that goal had been coming.
02:33pm
71 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Bayern are knocking on the door and come very close to doubling their lead. Diaz’s shot from the edge of the box looks destined to hit the net with Bizot beaten but fortunately for Villa Abraham is on hand on his own goal line to make the block.
02:31pm
69 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Bizot makes another great save. Bayern win a free-kick out on the right after Brown was fouled. Bischoff opts to shoot instead of crossing and nearly beats Bizot at his near post but the Aston Villa keeper gets across to his left to make the save.
02:29pm
67 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Unai Emery makes a double substitution as Mings and Lynch replace Torres and Guessand. Mings takes the captain’s armband.
02:28pm
66 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
That is a fantastic double save from Bizot, first denying Stanisic and then Ibrahimovic. Both of those shots came through bodies so Bizot did a good job of reacting and making the saves with his legs on both occasions.
02:26pm
64 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
It is safe to say the Bayern fans out in Hong Kong love Diaz, who is cheered every time he touches the ball.
02:25pm
63 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Vincent Kompany is going to make a triple change as Ito, Diaz and Palhinha come on. Former Liverpool man Diaz received a great ovation from the fans in Hong Kong. Palhinha, who spent last season on loan at Tottenha, has been linked with a move to Aston Villa in this window.
02:24pm
61 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Should Bayern have been awarded a penalty there? A ball is played in behind the Villa defence into the penalty area and Ibrahimovic appeared to be brought down but the referee waves those appeals away. On first viewing, that appeared to be a penalty.
02:21pm
59 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Just before the hour mark, it is time for some changes from Aston Villa. Abraham and Bogarde come on for Madjo and Kamara. This is Abraham’s first appearance of this pre-season.
02:19pm
56 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Good play from Gomes earns Aston Villa a free-kick not far outside the Bayern penalty area out on the left, in a similar position to the free-kick that Bayern scored from in the first half. Buendia clips in a good ball to the back post, where Guessand looks likely to score but instead misses the ball on the stretch. Should Guessand have done better with that? Probably.
02:11pm
49 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Brown was starting in his customary left-back position for Bayern in the first half but is now operating out on the right wing.
Gomes leaves one late on Pavlovic and, had this been a competitive fixture, I suspect that might have been a yellow card.
02:10pm
47 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Tah is brought down by Gomes and Bayern will have a free-kick out on the right not a million miles outside the Villa penalty area. The delivery though is poor and easily cleared away.
02:07pm
Second half
Bayern have brought Stanisic on at half-time for Laimer. Aston Villa have not made a change at the break.
We are back under way in Hong Kong.
01:56pm
HT stats
Possession: Aston Villa 45%-55% Bayern MunichShots: 4-7Shots on target: 1-2Corners: 1-2
01:50pm
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Half-time
The first half in Hong Kong is brought to an end and Bayern take a 1-0 lead into the break courtesy of Kim’s goal.
01:49pm
45 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
There will be one added minute at the end of this first half.
01:48pm
43 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 1
Aston Villa have struggled to create much going forward and have not really had a genuine goal-scoring opportunity in this first half. Their forward line though will look quite different when they kick off the seaosn than it does today.
01:40pmKey moments • Goals
GOAL! Kim heads Bayern in front
The German side take the lead in Hong Kong. Bischof’s left-footed delivery from a free-kick out on the left is sublime, whipping it right into the corridor of uncertainty. The quality of delivery means it is quite a simple header for Kim, who makes no mistake with his header into the far corner. Kim might have been offside but obviously there is no VAR in use today. 1-0 Bayern.
Bayern hit the front in Hong Kong - Chan Long Hei/AP
01:40pm
35 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
That is a waste in the end from Bayern. Boey fires a pass in-field into Laimer, who takes a fantastic first touch on the turn inside the Villa half. He drives through the Villa half and at the penalty area but his pass outside looking for Cardozo is poor and overhit, with the ball rolling out for a goal kick. Laimer will be annoyed at himself having done all the hard work and then failed to execute the easy part.
01:33pm
29 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
Bischof eyes one up from range and tries to pick out the top corner. Bizot is routed to his spot and is hoping the shot goes wide. Bischof’s effort is always curling wide, much to Bizot’s relief.
01:31pm
26 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
The first booking of the game goes the way of Bayern Munich. Guessand drives forward into the Bayern half and is brought down by a cynical foul from Cardozo. You were half expecting Cardozo to perhaps escape without a booking with it being a pre-season friendly but he does not. It was the right call to book him.
01:29pm
25 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
That was lovely from Pavlovic. The German midfielder shows good feet to beat Gomes before getting his shot away from a central position just outside the box. He forces Bizot into a decent save but one he should be making.
01:27pm
22 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
Bayern force Villa into an error and win themselves a corner as a result out on the left. It is delivered into a dangerous area at the front post but Villa do a good job of handling it and clearing their lines.
01:24pm
20 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
Bayern Munich have made two signings this summer; Brown from Bundesliga rivals Frankfurt and Saibari from PSV. Brown is starting at left-back for Bayern today with Saibari not involved as he closes in on a return from a knock picked up at the World Cup with Morocco. Brown feels like such a Bayern signing, nabbing a good player from a Bundesliga rival.
01:20pm
15 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
Aston Villa have made four signings so far this summer but just one is in their starting XI today in the form of Gomes, who joined from Midlands rivals Wolves this summer. Young Swiss midfielder Manzambi has joined from Freiburg but is currently out injured. Garnacho picked up a knock and Cisse, who has arrived from LASK, is not involved for Villa today.
01:17pm
13 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
The ball is played in behind the Aston Villa defence to pick out the run of Binder. On the edge of the Villa box, Binder gets the first touch but Lindelof is calm in defence and heads back to his keeper Bizot.
Moments later, Gomes is dispossessed inside his own half and Ibrahimovic has a shot from just outside the box but drags it wide of the far post.
01:15pm
11 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
Good work from 17-year-old Madjo down Aston Villa’s left wins them their first corner of the game. Buendia’s inswinger is headed away too easily at the near post. Aston Villa have seen their former set-piece coach Austin MacPhee nabbed this summer by Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea.
01:11pm
7 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
The referee is allowing the game to flow and thus not blowing for soft fouls.
01:07pm
3 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
The first chance of the game falls to Bayern Munich. Brown’s cross from the left is headed by Maatsen straight to Ibrahimovic on the edge of the box. Ibrahimovic, not any relation to Zlatan, takes the shot on first time but it is blocked by Maatsen, who makes up for that poor header with the block. The ball goes behind for a corner, which comes to nothing.
01:05pm
2 mins: Aston Villa 0 Bayern Munich 0
Interestingly, there are only eight outfield substitutions on the Aston Villa bench for this game, with the likes of Garnacho and McGinn picking up knocks the other day. It appears then that at least a couple of Villa outfield players will have to play the full 90.
01:04pm
Kick-off
We are under way in Hong Kong.
12:58pm
Nearly ready for action
Both sides emerge from the tunnel, Aston Villa led out by Matty Cash and Bayern Munich by Manuel Neuer, and we are closing in on kick-off in Hong Kong. A group of delegates shake the hands of both starting XIs.
12:54pm
A concern for both sides?
Chelsea and Juventus played in this stadium the other night and it is safe to say that the pitch does not look in the best state ahead of kick-off today. It looks like it will continue to rip up and the last thing the two managers will want is to pick up any serious injuries.
Currently, before the two sides emerge, the crowd in Hong Kong are being treated to some pre-match dancing and entertainment, which includes people dressed as pandas and sharks dancing. Would the Premier League ever take inspiration and have dancing pandas before kick-off?
12:47pm
Teams in full
Aston Villa: Bizot, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Joao Gomes, Hemmings, Buendia, Guessand, Madjo.Substitutes: Wright, Asemota, Mings, Abraham, Nedejkovic, Bogarde, Rowe, Burrowes, Carroll, Lynch.
Bayern Munich: Neuer, Kim, Tah, Brown, Boey, Laimer, Bischof, Pavlovic, Ibrahimovic, Binder, Cardozo. Substitutes: Ulrich, Podar-Stiube, Urbig, Kimmich, Luis Díaz, Palhinha, Ito, Chávez, Pavic, Bara, Manuba, Stanisic, Della Rovere, Assomo.
12:41pm
Absentees
The likes of Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emi Martinez are yet to return to training after their World Cup exploits and Aston Villa are also without captain John McGinn and new signing Alejandro Garnacho, who picked up knocks in their win over BG Pathum the other day.
12:36pm
Another key starter to leave?
Aston Villa have already sold Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers this summer, with Lucas Digne on the verge of a move to PSG, but could another starter be on the way out of Villa Park? England defender Ezri Konsa has been linked with moves to the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool but will Unai Emery be able to keep hold of the 28-year-old?
12:31pm
Bayern support
12:26pm
Aston Villa’s transfer business so far this summer
INS:Johan Manzambi ⇠ Freiburg, £50mJoao Gomes ⇠ Wolves, £34mAlejandro Garnacho ⇠ Chelsea, LoanModou Keba Cisse ⇠ LASK, £5m
OUTS:Youri Tielemans ⇢ Manchester United, £36mDonyell Malen ⇢ Roma, £20mMorgan Rogers ⇢ Chelsea, £117mLewis Dobbin ⇢ Southampton, £10mEnzo Barrenechea ⇢ Benfica, £10
It has been a big summer of change at Aston Villa already and there could be more changes before the end of the window. Left-back Lucas Digne is set to move to PSG and is set to be replaced by Atlético Madrid’s Matteo Ruggeri. Joao Palhinha, who is on the bench for Bayern Munich today, has been linked with a move to Aston Villa.
12:19pm
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany speaking ahead of the game
On Aston Villa:
“Aston Villa are a top side with a very good coach. They have a large squad and will field plenty of talent. They have already played more friendlies than us, but for us it is a good challenge. It is a match in which we will learn a lot about our team’s fitness. It will be a good match for us.”
On the upcoming season:
“It is difficult to improve; after all, it is not just about the trophies we have won, but also about the number of goals and matches we have won. It is possible, but difficult. Right now, I would say our aim is to win the Champions League; there is no doubt about that. And throughout the season, I will be saying that we need to focus on the next match. To achieve that; to win the Bundesliga, the cup and the Champions League, we need the whole squad to be fit and healthy. We need to make good use of them and improve the squad. We have already done that, but hopefully it will help us achieve our goals.”
12:14pm
Aston Villa team
12:12pmKey moments
Bayern Munich team
12:10pm
Hong Kong special
12:06pm
Aston Villa’s pre-season schedule
July 21- Walsall 0 Aston Villa 5July 25- Porto 2 Aston Villa 1July 28- Aston Villa 2 Real Sociedad 4August 1- Indonesia All Stars 1 Aston Villa 3August 4- BG Pathum 1 Aston Villa 3Today- Aston Villa vs Bayern MunichAugust 12- PSG vs Aston Villa (Uefa Super Cup)August 15- Borussia Monchengladbach vs Aston Villa
11:59amKey moments
Out in the Far East
Aston Villa’s preparations for the new season continue out in Hong Kong as they take on Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at the Kai Tak Stadium. These sides have met twice before; Aston Villa beat Bayern 1-0 to win the European Cup in 1981/82 before then meeting in the Champions League group stages during the 2024/25 season, with Jhon Duran’s long-range screamer giving Aston Villa a 1-0 win at Villa Park.
After losing two of their first three pre-season friendlies, Aston Villa have won their first two games on Asian soil and this game marks the end of their tour of the Far East. It has been a summer of significant change at Aston Villa thus far with some key members of their squad departing and some new faces arriving. Youri Tielemans has departed after Manchester United triggered his release clause and they then sold Morgan Rogers to Chelsea for a British transfer record £117m. Unai Emery’s side have brought in 20-year-old Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi, Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes and Alejandro Garnacho, with the deal for Garnacho being an initial loan. Manzambi is currently on the sidelines due to a knee injury.
Aston Villa’s next game is the Super Cup next week against PSG - Willy Kurniawan/Reuters
Unai Emery’s side were dealt a blow during the World Cup as Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana picked up a serious knee injury. They were though boosted by the return of Boubacar Kamara after seven months out as he scored in the 3-1 friendly victory over BG Parthum. As one midfielder returned from injury in that game, another picked up a fresh injury as John McGinn suffered a knock to his knee. The likes of Ollie Watkins, Ezri Konsa and Emi Martinez are yet to return after their world Cup exploits. They begin their Premier League campaign with an away game on the south coast against Brighton on August 23 but will be involved in the Uefa Super Cup against PSG next week having lifted the Europa League last season.
Bayern Munich head into this season looking to win a third straight Bundesliga title and have won two of their three friendlies, losing once. They have added Moroccan attacker Ismael Saibari from PSV and German left-back Nathaniel Brown from Bundesliga rivals Eintracht Frankfurt to their ranks this summer. The likes of Harry Kane, Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olise are not available as they are still yet to return after World Cup duty but Vincent Kompany has confirmed that Bayern’s German stars are set to return.
Bayern Munich have won 13 of the last 14 Bundesliga titles - Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images
After today, Bayern have one more friendly against RB Leipzig before the DFL-Supercup against Borussia Dortmund. They then kick off the defence of their Bundesliga crown against Stuttgart at home on August 28.
Team news to follow shortly.
Source: “AOL Sports”
