Bayern Munich 4, Manchester United 3
The scoreline from the Allianz Arena might have looked close but the game was anything but close as Bayern Munich failed to punish a poor Manchester United side in their opening Champions League fixture.
Bayern Munich outscored a poor Manchester United side by 4 goals to 3 – with goals by Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry, Harry Kane, and Mathys Tel netting for the home side to inflict a 18th away defeat in United’s last 35 games in all competitions stretching back to March 2022.
United somehow kept the scoreline respectable against Bayern with Rasmus Hojlund’s first goal for the club and a late brace from Casemiro.
The home side might have defensive frailties but they really should have been out of sight long before Casemiro’s late goals papered over the cracks for a United side who have now lost a fourth away match this season out of their first six games of the season – a feast not match since 1986-87 under Ron Atkinson.
And the scoreline should have been a lot more for the home side – Bayern hit the woodwork twice and ended the night having taken 19 shots on goal – 9 of them on target with 60% possession.
Erik Ten Hag was also unhappy with his own defence, admitting:
“If you score three goals at Bayern you have to take at least a point.”
And he added: “The goals were easy giveaways.”
Ten Hag made only one change from the bruising 3-1 home defeat to Brighton – bringing in Facundo Pellistri for Scott McTominay as the diamond he employed against the Seagulls was quickly found out by Roberto De Zerbi.
And those gaping holes in midfield against Brighton were still evident enough at Bayern despite efforts made by United players to give their hosts a game.
The Reds had gone close through Christian Eriksen after just four minutes – his effort was saved by Sven Ulreich after Rasmus Hojlund was denied a shooting chance by Dayot Upamecano.
United were soon a goal down, though, when Andre Onana contrived to fumble Manchester City winger Leroy Sane’s speculative shot after 28 minutes of toil to break the deadlock after exchanging passes with England captain Harry Kane.
Onana looked devastated at the error.
It was only the start of a long evening for United as Serge Gnabry doubled that lead less than five minutes later after Jamal Musiala created a golden chance for him with a cutback from the touchline after beating a weak challenge from Diogo Dalot.
United got an unexpected goal back early in the second half when Musiala gave the ball away and Reds striker Hojlund – who was starved of service – grabbed his first goal for his new club in the illustrious surroundings of Bayern’s storied stadium after Marcus Rashford set him up from 12 yards out.
Eriksen was adjudged to have handled the ball in the United area after a VAR check soon after that – with Kane happily extending his scoring record for his new club from the penalty spot after 53 minutes.
Sane could have put the struggling visitors to the sword but could only hit the post.
Bizarrely, United managed to keep in touch again – reducing the deficit to 3-2 with 2 minutes to go when Casemiro abandoned his post and was lucky to have the ball stick under his body after he slipped at the end of a passing move by substitute Anthony Martial – he finished it with aplomb.
Thomas Muller also struck the woodwork in added time before Mathys Tel lifted the ball beyond the reach of Onana and into the goal after controlling Joshua Kimmich’s long ball up to him – and 4-2 was a more respectable scoreline.
But United had the final word as Casemiro got his second of the night five minutes into stoppage time – this time it he diverted Bruno Fernandes’ free kick past Ulreich with the slightest touch with his head.
It wasn’t enough for United to overcome a Bayern side who were not at their best but did enough to go 35 games unbeaten in group stage games in the Champions League.