Arsenal extended their winning run in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) to nine matches after a stunning 3-1 win over Bayern Munich, who tasted defeat for the first time in any competition this season.
It was a positive start from a Bayern side in blistering form, but Arsenal played to their strengths and opened the scoring on 22 minutes. It came from yet another set piece, as Bukayo Saka floated in a corner to be met by Jurriën Timber, who nodded over a flailing Manuel Neuer and into the net.
Having gone behind and subsequently avoided defeat in each of their last two matches, the German side were unfazed, and responded perfectly 10 minutes later. Joshua Kimmich’s arrowed pass was volleyed calmly by Serge Gnabry into the path of Lennart Karl, who fired past David Raya to make it two in as many UCL starts.
There easily could have been another for either side as an entertaining first half came to a close, but the flow of chances began to turn in the hosts’ favour after the restart. Mikel Merino glanced a whisker wide from the centre of the area, before Cristhian Mosquera’s header was somehow kept out by Neuer from point-blank range.
Saka was then just a backstep away from turning in on the rebound after Neuer toed away Rice’s effort, but all those chances were just a preamble to what came next.
Champions League: Arteta, Kompany cautioned as Arsenal crush Bayern Munich
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