In a stunning Group A opener of the Champions League, Bayern Munich emerged victorious over a depleted Manchester United with a score of 4-3, thanks to three goals in the final six minutes.
The match had been highly anticipated due to Harry Kane’s past transfer links to Man Utd, but the England captain maintained that Bayern was always the right destination for him after leaving Tottenham.
Interestingly, Kane dispatched from the penalty spot for his first Champions League goal for the German side after a chaotic and controversial VAR review for a Christian Eriksen handball, adding a sliver of irony to the game.
Despite Bayern’s domination throughout the match, Rasmus Hojlund’s first Manchester United goal in the 49th minute gave them a lifeline.
However, it looked like the game was heading towards a comfortable 3-1 win for Bayern until the final six minutes, which turned out to be topsy-turvy.
Casemiro’s two goals (in the 88th and 90+5th minute) and a Mathys Tel fourth for the hosts shattered the hopes of a Man Utd comeback, but the signs of life from the English side will be welcomed.
Man Utd created their own problems in defence in the first half, which has been a recurring problem this season.
In fact, they have now conceded three or more goals in three consecutive games in all competitions for the first time since December 1978.
Bayern’s Leroy Sane (28) opened the scoring, followed by a fine Serge Gnabry (32) finish to double the hosts’ lead.
The Bundesliga champions now top Group A after Galatasaray and Copenhagen drew 2-2 earlier on Wednesday, while Manchester United sit at the bottom of the group after one game.
Manchester United started off well at the Allianz Arena, with an opportunity to go ahead within the first four minutes when Eriksen sent a fine ball through the six-yard box.
However, Alphonso Davis’s well-timed tackle stopped Facundo Pellistri from striking, and Eriksen’s follow-up was saved by Sven Ulreich.
Manchester’s poor error from Andre Onana saw the hosts ahead, with Kane’s threaded ball finding Sane, whose low shot managed to squirm underneath the goalkeeper’s body and into the back of the net.
A second followed five minutes later after sublime play from Jamal Musiala, who surged into the box and pulled the goal back for a waiting Gnabry.
READ ALSO: https://thecrux.org.ng/ucl-arsenal-stuns-psv-in-perfect-champions-league-return/
Man Utd hit back four minutes after the break, with Marcus Rashford tapping the ball into Hojlund’s path, and the forward neatly finishing into the far corner.
However, Bayern was awarded a penalty soon after, initially dismissed by VAR after Dayot Upamecano’s cross hit Eriksen’s arm.
VAR took another look at the incident, eventually awarding a penalty to Bayern, which Kane expertly dispatched past Onana for his first Champions League goal for the German side.
Bayern continued to press for another, with Sane hitting the post and the Man Utd goalkeeper redeeming himself with a string of saves to deny the likes of Musiala and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
But the drama was not over, as Casemiro squeezed home Man Utd’s second in the 88th minute, picked out by Anthony Martial.
Despite ending up on the floor when his first effort was blocked, he managed to sweep the ball home with his foot.
Bayern added their fourth in the second of four added minutes, which was expected to be the final goal of the game, but Casemiro had one final word with the last kick, nodding home from a Bruno Fernandes set-piece.
However, there was not enough time left for an equaliser.
This loss marks Manchester United’s first time losing three consecutive matches within a single season in all competitions since April 2019 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
In contrast, Bayern Munich have won their opening UEFA Champions League match in each of their last 20 participations, a feat that no other club has achieved in more than 12 consecutive appearances in the competition.
Manchester United have conceded 14 goals in all competitions this season, the highest of any Premier League side.
Leroy Sane has scored in consecutive appearances against Manchester United, also scoring against them for Manchester City in April 2019.
Sane has now been directly involved in 20 goals in his last 18 home matches in the UEFA Champions League, including 12 goals and 8 assists.
