Luis Diaz on target as Bayern Munich beat Aston Villa in pre-season friendly

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/diaz-luis/SKjMUHVm/"]Diaz[/a] starred in Colombia's run to the World Cup last-16 and the winger lit up a sometimes [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/bayern-munich-nVp0wiqd/?mid=z9pOlsil"]scrappy game between last season's German double-winners and the Europa League champions.[/a][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern[/a] hit the front in the 37th minute when South Korean defender [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kim-min-jae/vkXC6mad/"]Kim Min-jae[/a] ghosted in to glance a free-kick into the far corner from the edge of the six-yard box.[/b][/p][p]The Bavarian club brought some of their big guns off the bench in the second half and started turning the screw, Diaz having a shot cleared off the line.[/p][p][b]He stretched the lead in trademark style in the 73rd minute, picking up the ball on the left, jinking inside and cracking a dipping shot in off the crossbar.[/b][/p][embed guid="f89b16c4-8e9e-497f-9262-d8b035f3d804" url="https://x.com/FCBayernEN/status/2085736674865058212" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was a superb strike that delighted the majority of the 38,000 fans inside Kai Tak stadium who were mostly cheering for Bayern.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Villa[/a] pulled one back in the 83rd minute when new signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joao-gomes/rcOLZhUD/"]Joao Gomes[/a] took aim from the edge of the area and left [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neuer-manuel/Sh5KwIo6/"]Manuel Neuer[/a] with no chance.[/b][/p][p]They nearly equalised moments later but the legendary German stopper reacted quickly to block [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/abraham-tammy/OYhxyduf/"]Tammy Abraham[/a]'s point-blank header, and Bayern closed out the game.[/p][p]Several World Cup stars, including Bayern's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olise-michael/E5pvwqkK/"]Michael Olise[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kane-harry/v5HSlEAa/"]Harry Kane[/a], did not travel to Hong Kong.[/p][embed guid="59bd8d8a-5c85-445f-8b09-c41deb622dc6" url="https://x.com/FCBayernEN/status/2085737824301511085" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"I told the players honestly that I was impressed (with the performance) because you know who's there and you know who's not there," [/b]Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said.[/p][p][b]"It's difficult to go into these games... and still look the same, still look (like) the Bayern Munich that we can be.[/b][/p][p][b]"The last 10 or 15 minutes were a little bit a reflection of what pre-season is - a lot of changes... it's (more) difficult to control in that sense, as a coach."[/b][/p][p]Villa are adjusting to life without [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rogers-morgan/lp4jm80n/"]Morgan Rogers[/a] after the England midfielder moved to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] last month for a reported British record fee of 117 million pounds.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/psg-CjhkPw0k/?mid=GnSGwOrJ"]They face Paris Saint-Germain in the European Super Cup[/a] on Wednesday before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/brighton-2XrRecc3/?mid=Mkz9mcpL"]travelling to Brighton for their opening Premier League fixture on August 23rd.[/a][/p]