Bayern Munich began their defence of the Bundesliga title – and Niko Kovac’s reign as manager – with a 3-1 victory at home to Hoffenheim. Kovac succeeded Jupp Heynckes following his retirement shortly after they won their sixth successive German league title and, after leading them to DFL-Supercup glory against his former club Eintracht Frankfurt, the Croatian delivered a win in his first Bundesliga game in charge.

After a disappointing summer for German football in which the 2014 World Cup winners were unexpectedly knocked out at the group stage in Russia, Thomas Müller needed only 23 minutes to give Bayern the lead. An equalising goal from Adam Szalai and two disallowed efforts threatened to undermine Kovac’s hopes of continuing his winning start but the manager introduced Arjen Robben after Kingsley Coman was lost to injury and, after Robert Lewandowski’s penalty, the Dutchman secured all three points.

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Robben and James Rodríguez had been named on the bench, with Kovac preferring Coman and Franck Ribéry, but the manager otherwise selected the XI that was expected. Müller scored in the opening game of the Bundesliga season for the third time in five years after Hoffenheim’s Kasim Nuhu conceded a corner amid pressure on his debut. Joshua Kimmich delivered a cross and the forward jumped to send a powerful, close-range header beyond the goalkeeper, Oliver Baumann.

Coman was consistently impressive but on the stroke of half-time was lost to injury. Having repeatedly stretched Hoffenheim’s defence, he was left in a pile by Nico Schulz’s aggressive challenge, which appeared to injure the winger’s left ankle, leading to Robben’s introduction. Coman’s absence was keenly felt and, after Robben threatened in the second half, Szalai fired the visitors level in the 57th minute, beating Jérôme Boateng before hitting a powerful finish across goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

Bayern were awarded a penalty when the Hoffenheim substitute Havard Nordtveit brought down Ribéry. Baumann saved from Lewandowski and Robben scored from the rebound but VAR intervened and the penalty was ordered to be retaken. This time, in the 82nd minute, the Polish striker scored.

In the 86th minute the home substitute Leon Goretzka found the back of the net with his shot appearing to take a significant deflection, but the VAR ruled Müller had handled and the goal was disallowed. Müller then set up Robben in the 90th minute and from right in front of goal he found the top left-hand corner to put victory beyond doubt.