In an exhilarating 7-goal encounter, Bayern emerged victorious over Manchester United in the opening match of Group A in the Champions League.

 

The contest at the Allianz Arena was a goal-laden spectacle, with neither team holding a lead of more than two goals throughout the game. While Bayern had been favored to win, Manchester United put up a spirited fight, refusing to concede early. Nevertheless, Casemiro’s late goal to narrow the score to 3-4 arrived just moments before referee Glenn Nyberg’s final whistle.

 

Manchester United made a promising start, creating a dangerous opportunity early on. However, Facundo Pellistri and Christian Eriksen squandered close-range shots, much to the chagrin of coach Erik ten Hag on the sidelines. The away team employed a short-passing strategy, capitalizing on Onana’s ability to play with his feet. Unfortunately, Onana’s error cost them the lead, as he failed to stop Leroy Sane’s shot from outside the penalty area, allowing Bayern to take the lead.

 

The early goal injected more excitement into Bayern’s play, with assistant coaches Zsolt Low and Anthony Barry celebrating on the day when Thomas Tuchel was suspended. The home team extended their lead from a second chance, with midfielder Jamal Musiala evading Diogo Dalot’s challenge on the left side of the penalty area before setting up Serge Gnabry for a shot that found the far corner, leaving Onana with no chance to make a save. On the field, Ten Hag could only shake his head in frustration as the net rippled with the ball.

In contrast to their previous loss to Brighton, Manchester United showed greater resilience. In the early stages of the second half, rookie Rasmus Hojlund found the net for the “Red Devils” with a deflected shot that left goalkeeper Sven Ulreich unable to react in time. Despite Ulreich’s possible error, it was not as costly as Onana’s earlier mistake.

 

However, Manchester United’s hopes were quickly dampened when midfielder Dayot Upamecano’s header struck Eriksen’s hand in the penalty area, resulting in a VAR-awarded penalty for Bayern. Harry Kane stepped up and converted the spot-kick with a powerful low shot to the left corner, extending Bayern’s lead to 3-1. The crowd chanted “Harry, Harry” in support of the English striker, who had been pursued by Manchester United but ultimately chose Bayern last summer. Kane lived up to expectations with his fifth goal in the first six matches of the season.

Bayern maintained their dominance but failed to capitalize on several scoring opportunities, including Sane’s shot that struck the post. Casemiro then brought hope back to Manchester United with a late goal in the 88th minute, despite lying on the field in a shaky situation. However, Bayern quickly reestablished their two-goal lead just four minutes later. Joshua Kimmich delivered a cross into the penalty area, where Mathys Tel’s shot found the back of the net via the roof, securing victory for the home side with only two minutes remaining.

 

In the final moments, Manchester United made a valiant effort reminiscent of their iconic 1999 Champions League final victory, scoring two goals in three extra minutes to beat Bayern 2-1. Casemiro completed his brace with a close-range header from Bruno Fernandes’ cross. However, the referee blew the final whistle immediately after Bayern restarted play.

Bayern delivered a superior performance, while Manchester United still has ample opportunities to progress in the Champions League group stage. The “Red Devils” will welcome back midfielder Raphael Varane, rookie Sofyan Amrabat, and Mason Mount for their upcoming Premier League match against Burnley on the evening of September 23.