HEADED WIDE! Wonderful work from Gotze down the right this time, a flank Bayern have exposed consistently throughout. He plays a teasing cross into the centre which Kimmich lunges himself at, but sees his brave effort squirt wide at the near post.
86'
STAT ATTACK: Bayern lost just one game last season against teams who finished the Bundesliga campaign in the bottom 10, against Freiburg with the title already secured (W18, D1). They outscored their opponents 61-5 in those matches.
84'
Coman thrives on running at defenders, always looking to take someone on. He makes another strong run down the right and breaks into the area, but the referee calls a cheap foul saying he tugged the shirt of Caldirola to get past.
82'
Bayern have shifted into lockdown mode as they play keep away from their opponents in midfield. The tempo has run out of the match now with Die Roten's main focus being on keeping the clean sheet.
80'
Javi Martínez gets yellow.
We went over 70 minutes without a booking and now we've seen three in seven minutes. Martinez is the latest to be issued a caution as he halts the run of Wagner in midfield with a cynical challenge.
78'
A. Sulu gets yellow.
A second yellow card now and this one promises to trouble the hosts more at the back as Sulu goes in the book. More importantly is the upcoming free kick from 25-yards out, but they're let off the hook as Alonso's effort lifts over the bar.
77'
M. Vrančić enters the game and replaces K. Rausch.
Mario Vrancic becomes the sixth and final substitute of the match. The Bosnian midfielder made his debut in the Bundesliga against Bayern while playing for Mainz in a 5-2 defeat.
75'
STAT ATTACK: This is the fifth meeting between the two teams in their history. Bayern have won three, with the other ending in a draw. Neither side has kept a clean sheet in those matches.
73'
S. Wagner gets yellow.
Sandro Wagner picks up the first yellow card in what has been a very fairly-contested match up to this point. There's little arguing this one, however, as the substitute goes in the book for a stray elbow to halt the run of his opponent.
Minute
Description
72'
Xabi Alonso enters the game and replaces J. Boateng.
A third and final switch now for the visitors as they give Boateng a rest with some important fixtures forthcoming. Xabi Alonso comes on to replace him which shouldn't alter the formation in any sense of the word.
70'
A pair of changes, one for each team. Jan Rosenthal replaces Niemeyer in attack, sure to provide a greater threat going forward, while Thomas Muller is on to make life even more miserable for Darmstadt as he replaces Costa.
69'
J. Rosenthal enters the game and replaces P. Niemeyer.
68'
T. Müller enters the game and replaces Douglas Costa.
VITAL FROM SULU! This is getting out of hand now as Bayern push forward with a full head of steam. Another great ball in from Rode nearly comes to Gotze, but the Darmstadt skipper does enough to knock it behind.
66'
Javi Martínez enters the game and replaces A. Vidal.
A first change for Bayern and it's an encouraging one for supporters as Javi Martinez comes on for his first taste of action since May following his knee injury.
65'
STAT ATTACK: Newly-promoted Paderborn also started undefeated through their first four league games last season, before facing Bayern in their fifth and suffering a 4-0 defeat.
63'
S. Rode has scored a goal for Bayern Munich!
AND NOW THEY HAVE A THIRD! Bayern running away with this one now! Alaba plays Rode through behind the defence, played onside by Garics. The provider of the second goal bursts into the area but rattles an effort off the far post. It comes right back to him though and he makes no mistake the second time around.
62'
K. Coman has scored a goal for Bayern Munich! Assist by S. Rode.
COMAN OPENS HIS BUNDESLIGA ACCOUNT! Exceptional work from Rode on the right to sprint into space and pull it back exquisitely for Coman, who delayed his run into the area. The Frenchman keeps a cool head and sends a first-time effort past Mathenia at the near post.
60'
Great ball in from Haller! The home crowd get excited every time he gets in possession and that's exactly why right there as he lifts a wonderfully inviting cross in for Sandro Wagner, but the substitute is just unable to get on the end of it.
59'
S. Wagner enters the game and replaces D. Stroh-Engel.
58'
Much better from Gotze! That's more of what we're used to seeing from the forward, and he does ever so well to bring the ball down inside the area and turn his marker, but from a difficult angle he can only find the side netting with his shot.
56'
WONDERFUL SAVE! Alaba decides to have a go from range and unleashes a thunderous strike from 25-yards out. It takes a bit of a deflection to send it towards the far post, but Mathenia reacts brilliantly to keep it out!
54'
Lengthy delay here as Niemeyer goes down after taking a hard clearance off his head. Bayern put the ball into touch and the physio staff comes out to attend to him. No chances are taken, as should always be the case with a head injury.
52'
STAT ATTACK: Bayern are currently unbeaten in 46 Bundesliga matches before the winter break (W38, D8). Their last loss in the first half of the league season came in October 2012 against Leverkusen.
50'
Damstadt will have to be encouraged with how they have gone about defending Bayern thus far, but they need to find a way to generate a bit of momentum going forward. They can play disciplined at the back as much as they like, but bottom line is they will eventually need to take their chances and pursue an equaliser.
48'
Early chance for the visitors to double their lead as Rode is taken down near the end-line on the very edge of the area. Coman and Costa stand over it, but they try to be too cute in playing it short and passing it into the area for Gotze, which Darmstadt sniff out quite easily.
46'
Back underway in Darmstadt!
45'
No time to be added on says the referee!
44'
Bayern working hard to try and double their lead before the break, always looking to play the ball out wide for Coman or Costa. The hosts are packing bodies back in defence more than they have at any point in this opening 45 minutes, careful not to fall out of the game completely before the interval.
42'
STAT ATTACK: Coming into the match, only Bayern and Wolfsburg (two) have conceded fewer than the three goals allowed by Darmstadt though the opening four fixtures of the Bundesliga season.
40'
Every Bayern foray into attack is resulting in a shot, though very few of them are finding the target in this first half. Another penetrating run from Costa sees him play a good ball into the box for Coman, but the Frenchman loops a header well wide of the target.
38'
ANOTHER CLOSE EFFORT! Costa really fancies himself a shot from distance this afternoon and he's inching closer and closer to the target. Still operating down the right, he cuts inside his marker and takes a few touches atop the area before curling an effort inches wide of the far stick.
36'
PENALTY APPEALS DENIED! It's a mess of bodies in the Darmstadt penalty area as the ball is played in for Gotze. The forward tries to lay it off for Rode who is promptly taken to ground by Holland, but the referee didn't have a good enough look at it to award the decision.
34'
NEARLY THE EQUALISER! Gondorf is at it again, this time running down the left. He plays a lovely ball across the face of goal that runs all the way through for Stroh-Engel at the far post. The striker meets it with great technique, but can only knock his shot into the side-netting from a tight angle.
32'
STAT ATTACK: This is the first meeting between the two teams since January of 1982. Xabi Alonso was the only member of Bayern’s team today who was alive when that game took place – less than two months old.
30'
Unlucky for the hosts! They string together a number of passes as they make their way into attack. Stroh-Engel holds the ball up nicely and lays off for Heller, who picks out the run of Gondorf. Alaba goes down softly as they jostle for possession, and he wins his side a cheap free kick.
28'
Tricky from Costa! Much better from the Brazilian, who is now operating down the right flank. He dribbles his way brilliantly past two defenders and lobs a teasing delivery in towards the near post, but no one is there to attack it allowing Sulu to clear.
26'
Bayern continue to dominate possession, but the only real joy they've experienced in attack has come from the feet of Coman. Costa has been unable to negotiate much space for himself in attack, while Gotze hasn't been much of a target in the centre.
24'
SUPERB STOP! It's a penetrating counter-attack from the hosts and it produces their first real chance of the match as Stroh-Engel is sent through behind the defence. He drives a wonderful low effort towards the near post, but Neuer spectacularly gets across to make the save before Boateng parries behind for a corner.
22'
STAT ATTACK: Prior to Vidal's effort, of the 12 goals scored by Bayern in their first four league matches, only one of them came from a member of today's starting XI (Douglas Costa).
20'
A. Vidal has scored a goal for Bayern Munich! Assist by Douglas Costa.
BAYERN BREAK THE DEADLOCK! Coman starts the move with a good run down the right. He cuts inside and picks out Vidal in acres of space in the middle and the midfielder makes no mistake, driving a stunning effort off the far post and into the back of the net! Unstoppable, that, from the Chilean - his first goal with the club!
19'
Letdown! Die Roten win a free kick 25-yards out from goal. Anticipation builds as players from both teams pack the penalty area, but the end result is disappointing as Costa's effort sails wide of the near post.
17'
The hosts need to do more in midfield to keep the ball. They appear nervous when in possession, conceding it far too easily. It is their wide men who appear the best option going forward at the moment, catching the likes of Bernat and Rafinha high up the pitch.
15'
Coman is having plenty of success going forward, seeing a lot of the ball and making the most of it. He wins another corner after swapping wings with Costa, but again Darmstadt are up to the task defensively.
13'
The hosts finally manage their first encouraging foray into attack, winning a throw near the corner flag. They aren't scared to commit a few of their bigger bodies forward from the back, but the long throw is cut out easily by Die Roten.
11'
NEARLY THE OPENER! Lovely service there from Coman who carves apart the Darmstadt defence with a clever through ball to pick out the diagonal run of Vidal. The Chilean has a first-time effort from close range but it sails just wide of the near post.
9'
STAT ATTACK: Bayern have won 21 consecutive Bundesliga matches against newly-promoted teams, since a 2-0 defeat away to Kaiserlautern in August 2010. They outscored their opponents 72-10 over this current run.
7'
Bayern win the first corner of the match, to little surprise, but the hosts clear their lines. Pressure stays on and Sebastian Rode is able to direct a weak header at goal, but it's nothing to trouble Christian Mathenia. Rode was actually born in a suburb of Darmstadt, and spent time in their academy, so this is something of a homecoming for him.
5'
Bayern have kept close to 100 per cent possession through these opening proceedings. Darmstadt gave the ball straight back following a goal kick, then an errant pass from Rafinha was also sent back over the top by Peter Niemeyer to Manuel Neuer.
3'
Lively start for the visitors and their first attack is orchestrated by the running of Juan Bernat down the left flank. The Spaniard works a tidy one-two with Douglas Costa, but his final ball through for Mario Gotze comes a split-second too late and the World Cup winner is unable to control.
1'
And we're off!
Good day, Bundesliga fans! The Merck-Stadion am Bollenfalltor is our venue for today’s clash as Darmstadt look to put a shock on the cards and remain unbeaten in their return to the top flight, against Bayern Munich who hope to maintain their perfect start to the season. I am Alex Moretto and I will be your in-game host, guiding you through the match LIVE as it happens!
Three successive promotions – and four in five years – had Darmstadt in dreamland entering the season. But what was to follow, not even their most loyal fans could have anticipated. Die Lilien are unbeaten through their opening four fixtures, which includes their most recent victory over Champions League outfit Leverkusen at the BayArena. Dirk Schuster’s side will take the pitch with nothing to lose, and regardless of the outcome, they can hold their heads up high. It will be a tough ask for them to maintain this form, but they have given fans and pundits alike plenty of reasons to believe they can avoid a quick trip back to the second division.
Bayern are looking every bit the part of a treble-capable side early in the season. They have yet to drop a point in the Bundesliga thus far and carried that form into their 3-0 Champions League triumph in Greece on Wednesday. They will have to be careful not to be caught in a look-ahead spot today, however, as this clash falls just three days before a date with Wolfsburg. The Bundesliga hosts a full midweek fixture list in what promises to be a quick turnaround following this weekend’s action.
Pep Guardiola has made a wide range of changes to his team, giving some key members a rest between this past Wednesday's Champions League clash and their upcoming date with Wolfsburg on Tuesday. Philipp Lahm, Xabi Alonso, Thiago Alcantara, Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski are all dropped from the starting lineup with Rafinha, Sebastian Rode, Joshua Kimmich, Mario Gotze and Kingsley Coman coming into the team. It's a first start for the Frenchman after arriving from Juventus, where he figures to start on the right flank with Gotze in the centre as a false nine.
Just one change made by Dirk Schuster following their shock 1-0 victory at the BayArena a week ago, as Tobias Kempe comes in as a number 10 at the expense of Jan Rosenthal. Plenty of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of wide men Marcel Heller and Konstantin Rausch who will be required to provide the support needed to slow the likes of Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman in attack.
There's a very festive feel to the atmosphere in Darmstadt, with the fans thrilled to be playing host to the former European champions and current Bundesliga title holders. The players and fans alike are already having a grand time as kick-off rapidly approaches.
HALF TIME: DARMSTADT 0-1 BAYERN. Die Roten head into the break in front thanks to Arturo Vidal's cracking effort from distance. It's the first time all season the hosts have trailed in a match, but they aren't backing down in the face of their opponents and you get the sense that this result is far from settled with 45 minutes still to play.
FULL TIME: DARMSTADT 0-3 BAYERN. Die Roten maintain their perfect start to the season thanks to goals from Arturo Vidal, Kingsley Coman and Sebastian Rode as they issue Dirk Schuster's side their first defeat of the campaign.
Up next for Bayern is a home date with Wolfsburg on Tuesday, while Darmstadt host Werder Bremen. I'm Alex Moretto and I would like thank you all for joining me here today. Good bye!
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