Bayern Munich edged what was eventually a seven-goal thriller against Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday night to take the early initiative in Group A.
Leroy Sane was gifted the first half opener through an Andre Onana mistake, before Serge Gnabry doubled the Bayern lead. Rasmus Hojlund scored his first United goal early in the second, but Harry Kane’s fifth for Bayern looked to have sealed the result in the home side’s favour.
Casemiro looked to have sparked a late fightback when he made it 3-2 from close range, only for substitute Mathys Tel to restore the two-goal cushion for Bayern. Casemiro then netted again very late on to pull it back to 4-3, which arguably flattered United, but there was no more time.
How the game unfolded
With Bayern surprisingly failing to find their rhythm in the early stages, the first chance fell to the visitors within the first few minutes when Christian Eriksen drew a good save from Sven Ulreich. The Dane had created the opening by supplying an initial chance to Facundo Pellistri. Marcus Rashford was also denied by the Bayern goalkeeper with his low shot from a narrow angle on the left.
Bayern began to threaten a little more after the midway point of the first half, although the opening goal from Sane still came relatively out of the blue. It was a quick exchange with Kane and a low snap shot from the German winger on the edge of the box, but it was a poor error from Onana to let it slip through his grasp when it should have been a straightforward save.
United, having been the better side to begin with, couldn’t reset and it was only moments later when Gnabry doubled the German advantage. The goal was the product of Jamal Musiala leaving Diogo Dalot for dead on Bayern’s left, cutting inside with a degree of fortune, and finding Gnabry in acres of space in the middle of the penalty area for first-time finish into the bottom corner.
Hojlund’s finish to cut into Bayern’s lead was a little scrappy, bobbling past Ulreich as it made its way into the net, but it characterised an important response from United after they had been made to return to the pitch for the second half several minutes earlier than Bayern.
But the visitors felt aggrieved by the manner in which Kane restored Bayern’s two-goal cushion within moments. As Dayot Upamecano headed the ball across goal, it struck the hand of Eriksen from close-range. The referee didn’t initially point to the spot, but a VAR intervention triggered a consultation with the pitch-side monitor. Kane drilled the ball home from 12 yards.
An inch-perfect through ball from Musiala almost handed Bayern a fourth goal when Sane hit the post. The former then made a chance for Kane, whose fierce shot was beaten away by Onana, while the United goalkeeper also parried powerful efforts from Sane and substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as the second half progressed.
Alejandro Garnacho threatened to pull one back on his Champions League debut when Rashford fire a ball to the far post. But even though it looked like Bayern would sooner get a fourth, Casemiro made it an interesting finish when he bundled the ball into the net late on after some neat passing around the edge of the area from Bruno Fernandes and Rashford.
Any late hope a comeback was extinguished when Tel smashed the ball high past Onana after a lofted pass from Joshua Kimmich. Thomas Muller had also hit the post earlier in the build-up. So when Casemiro got an unexpected second of the night in the 94th minute by flicking Fernandes’ free-kick beyond Ulreich inside the six-yard box, there was no more time left.
Bayen Munich player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Sven Ulreich - 6/10 - Early saves, albeit relatively comfortable ones, kept United at bay before Bayern were in control of the game. Might have hoped to do better with Hojlund's strike.
RB: Konrad Laimer - 6/10 - Didn't have the pace to properly deal with Rashford but had the right work ethic and wasn't particularly caught out.
CB: Dayot Upamecano - 8/10 - Defended well when Rashford's pace threatened to isolate him out of position when sweeping up behind Laimer.
CB: Kim Min-jae - 7/10 - Spent a lot of time with the ball at his feet and wasn't consistently tested, despite his team conceding three times.
LB: Alphonso Davies - 8/10 - Used the ball well and never gave United a sniff down his side.
CM: Joshua Kimmich (c) - 7/10 - It was a alow start but in control of things thereafter once Bayern got their quick first half double.
CM: Leon Goretzka - 7/10 - Hardly gave the ball away and made it difficult for United to build.
RM: Leroy Sane - 8/10 - A somewhat fortuitous goal given it was down to goalkeeper error, although the speed at which he took the shot might have caught Onana off guard at least. Hit the post too.
AM: Jamal Musiala - 9/10 - Made Bayern's second goal with a marvellous driving run and the vision to pull it back to Gnabry. Consistently caused problems and other created openings.
LM: Serge Gnabry - 7/10 - Generally less involved than Sane but ruthless in the right moment.
ST: Harry Kane - 8/10 - Linked up well with Sane and Musiala, either in leading the line or dropping deeper to make spaces for his colleagues. Clinical penalty.
Substitutes
SUB: Kingsley Coman (63' for Gnabry) - 6/10
SUB: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (75' for Musiala) - 6/10
Mathys Tel (87' for Sane) - 7/10
SUB: Thomas Muller (87' for Kane) - 7/10
Subs not used: Schmitt, Peretz, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Sarr, Kratzig
Manager
Zsolt Low - 7/10 - Standing in on the touchline for the suspended Thomas Tuchel.
Man Utd player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Andre Onana - 6/10 - Suffered a nightmare moment to gift Bayern their first goal. It's the last thing he needed as scrutiny starts to ramp up. Actually made a number of decent saves after that to keep the score down but the damage had already been done.
RB: Diogo Dalot - 5/10 - Couldn't live with Musiala for Bayern's second goal and was too weak in the tackle when he had a second bite at the cherry.
CB: Victor Lindelof - 5/10 - Off the pace and second best in the key moments.
CB: Lisandro Martinez - 5/10 - Culpable for Bayern's second by leaving Gnabry in far too much space n a dangerous position. Frustration looked to be getting the better of him in the second half.
LB: Sergio Reguilon - 7/10 - Played with fire and aggression, like he had something to prove after his less than stellar debut at the weekend. Made a few surging runs forward too.
CM: Casemiro - 7/10 - The midfield is still too weak and it was too much to do on his own. Hit and mis with his tackling but marked his 100th European appearance with a surprising brace.
CM: Christian Eriksen - 5/10 - Aside from the first chance of the game, his impact was limited.
RM: Facundo Pellistri - 5/10 - Never really got out of Davies' pocket.
AM: Bruno Fernandes (c) - 6/10 - Tried to raise a response from his teammates with an on-field pep talk before the second half kicked off. Often dropped too deep to get on the ball that he couldn't really influence things further up the pitch until it was too late.
LM: Marcus Rashford - 6/10 - Threatening in isolated moments. Laid on Hojlund's goal.
ST: Rasmus Hojlund - 6/10 - Will take huge confidence from his first goal for the club. It wasn't particularly pretty but it didn't matter. Didn't get enough service otherwise.
Substitutes
SUB: Scott McTominay (69' for Eriksen) - 6/10
SUB: Anthony Martial (81' for Hojlund) - 6/10
SUB: Alejandro Garnacho (81' for Pellistri) - 7/10
Subs not used: Heaton, Bayindir, Vitek, Evans, Hannibal, Gore, Forson
Manager
Erik ten Hag - 6/10 - Sent his team out early for the second half. Will be disappointed that the goals were largely the result of individual lapses. His team can score but cannot keep goals out.
Player of the match - Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
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This article was originally published on 90min as Bayern Munich 4-3 Man Utd: Player ratings as Champions League clash produces seven-goal thriller.