Bayern Munich hosted Manchester United at the Allianz Arena in the first group stage match of their 2023/2024 UEFA Champions League campaign.
The Red Devils confronted a tough test against the German powerhouse who have been in arguably good form since they started their domestic League season.
Judging from Man United’s recent performances, Erik ten Hag‘s men are in disorder due to three defeats in four of their English Premier League outings combined with massive injury worries.
Manchester United have undoubtedly lost the confidence and skill to defeat big teams, seeing them suffer a back-to-back setback at the hands of Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The struggling United side made several changes in their starting lineup, Facundo Pellistri was handed his Champions League debut after being named in Erik ten Hag’s starting XI.
Manchester United were without twelve first-team players for the clash against Bayern Munich with Mason Mount, Raphael Varane, and Harry Maguire among several others who were left out of the squad due to injuries.
Bayern Munich, on the other hand, went to the match with less injury problems.
Therefore, Thomas Tuchel’s men held the game with an unbeaten streak in their previous league matches, winning three out of their last four games.
Bayern Munich starting XI; Ulreich, Upamecano, Minjae, Kimmich, Gnabry, Goretzka, Kane, Sane, Davies, Laimer, Musiala
Erik ten Hag made one change to his team with Facundo Pellistri used ahead of Scott McTominay who was dropped to the beach.
Man United starting XI; Onana: Dalot, Lindelof, Martinez, Reguilon; Casemiro, Eriksen; Pellestri, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
The match got underway by 8:00 pm (BST) at the Allianz Arena in the presence of 75,024 spectators.
The match started with Bayern Munich who were giving Man United a little pressure, the home team won an early corner kick which was pinged towards the near post.
Dayot Upamecano and Konrad Leimar combined to send Leroy Sane in counter upfield through a pass right between the two defenders and was caught offside.
Man United won the ball and played well while Bayern were taking a while to settle into the game, United won their first corner kick in 10 minutes of action.
In the 13th minute, the center referee halted the game as Sergio Reguilon lay flat on his back trying to catch his breath after a collision with Sane.
Bayern took the lead from Sane’s fine finish in the 28th minute, the home team played the ball from the side of the field halfway inside the visitors’ area and probed for an opening.
Another chance came for the German powerhouse in the 31st minute, with a brilliant performance from Jamal Musiala, who laid a low pass for Gnabry, the No. 7 made no mistake and put the ball past Onana.
Bayern Munich dominated the United side, putting pressure on the visitors. On the other hand, Bruno Fernandes gave his side some much-needed pace as he intercepted Goretska’s pass but played the ball off the field.
Glenn Nyberg, the center referee closed the first half with Bayern leading the United side by 2-0 despite getting off to a good start.
The second half kicked off, and United got a beautiful performance that saw them find the back of the net in the 49th minute through Rasmus Hojlund’s strike.
Casemiro recovered the ball in the midfield and chipped it forward to the club’s captain Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes passed to Marcus Rashford who brought the ball down and slipped a pass to Hojlund inside the box.
Hojlund took a touch and hooked the ball past Sven Ulreich to give and visitors some hope.
United were left hopeless in the 53rd minute when Harry Kane struck from the spot-kick.
Harry Kane fired his penalty to take the match away from Manchester United’s cognition once again.
Onana went the right way but had no chance of saving the shot which was buried in the bottom left of the goalpost.
Bayern had another chance in the 65th minute when Sane struck but his effort was denied by Onana.
The Red Devils managed to keep Kane away from the rebound, resulting in a corner kick that was punched clear by the United goalkeeper.
Manchester United made the first change of the game as they brought on Scott McTominay for Christian Eriksen in midfield.
Bayern on the other hand, made a change in the 75th minute, Jamal Musiala who had an excellent game, got a standing ovation as he was replaced by Choupo-Moting.
Onana made a save as Choupo-Moting popped at goal from the edge of the box, he played across the ball and tried to send it to the left corner but Onana denied his effort.
Hojlund, the goalscorer for United left the pitch with fellow youngster Pellistri in the 80th minute and were replaced by Anthony Martial and Alejandro Garnacho.
Casemiro scored for United in the 88th minute as Rashford played the ball to Martial who did well and passed to the Brazilian midfielder who guided the ball into the goal with his left foot.
Bayern responded well with Mathys Tel who came off the bench and scored just a moment after Thomas Muller hit the post.
In the 94th minute, Casemiro scored yet another goal from Bruno Fernandes’s whipped free kick from the left side with pace, Casemiro managed to get a touch on the ball to direct it into the goal post.
The match ended in a 4-3 scoreline, in favour of Bayern Munich, and seems not to be a bad result for the visitors who went to the game with a lot of unavailable top players.
However, Andre Onana is already feeling how tough it is to wear United’s shirt. The Cameroonian endured a terrible start to his Champions League campaign with the Red Devils as he gave Bayern Munich a goal.
The former Inter Milan shot-stopper has conceded ten goals from the first 13 shots on target that he has faced so far this current campaign.
