Díaz Scores on Bayern Debut as Munich Wins German Super Cup Over Stuttgart

Colombian forward Luis Díaz scored and collected a trophy in his first appearance for Bayern Munich on Saturday, as the Bundesliga champions defeated Stuttgart 2-1 in the German Super Cup.

Harry Kane also found the net for Bayern, which began the campaign by lifting the curtain-raiser, the least significant piece of silverware on the German calendar. Kane put his side in front in the 18th minute, when the ball dropped kindly to him and he placed his shot inside the left post.

"Starting with a trophy is the most important thing," Kane said afterward. The England captain has now won only two titles in his career; the Bundesliga crown in May was his first.

Bayern controlled the early stages, but Stuttgart responded, with Nick Woltemade forcing a fine save from Manuel Neuer. Woltemade has been, and may still be, a summer transfer target for Bayern. The clubs have been unable to agree a fee even though the player is willing to make the move. "The file is closed," Stuttgart chief executive Alexander Wehrle said before the match.

Díaz, who arrived from Liverpool last month and remains the club's biggest signing of the offseason, scored in the 77th minute. Two minutes earlier, Neuer had denied Jamie Leweling, who was then off the field receiving treatment after a knee collision with Bayern's Sacha Boey when Díaz struck. Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß said: "Undoubtedly painful, but still, and perhaps unpopular, he needs to feel the pain on the pitch and not two meters away from it."

Leweling recovered and headed in Stuttgart's reply in stoppage time, but it was not enough to prevent defeat.

This is the fourth year that Germany has staged the traditional season opener on the same weekend as the first round of the German Cup, forcing the participants to postpone their cup ties. Stuttgart begin their cup defense against Eintracht Braunschweig on Aug. 26, with Bayern facing third-division Wehen Wiesbaden the following day.

Elsewhere, Bundesliga sides had mostly comfortable first-round outings. Wolfsburg thrashed fifth-tier SV Hemelingen 9-0, while Heidenheim beat fourth-division Bahlinger SC 5-0 against a team reduced to ten men. Hoffenheim won 4-0 at third-division Hansa Rostock, and Freiburg defeated fourth-tier Sportfreunde Lotte 2-0. Twice-champion Leipzig came from behind twice to beat fourth-division SV Sandhausen 4-2, with new signings Ezechiel Banzuzi and Yan Diomande scoring.

Others had scares. Hamburger SV, back in the Bundesliga after promotion last season, equalized late against fifth-tier Pirmasens before Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer headed the winner in extra time for a 2-1 victory. Königsdörffer was only available because a proposed move to Nice earlier in August collapsed after his medical with the French club. Bochum needed a late equalizer before beating nine-man Dynamo Berlin 3-1, and St. Pauli required a penalty shootout to see off Hamburg neighbors Eintracht Norderstedt.

There were upsets too. Fourth-division FV Illertissen eliminated Miroslav Klose's Nuremberg 6-5 on penalties after a 3-3 draw, and third-division Energie Cottbus beat top-flight Hannover 1-0. Second-division Darmstadt won 2-1 against fourth-tier Lübeck.