Bayern lose the CL top match at Arsenal FC 1-3. The Gunners were the superior team in the second half and the north Londoners deserved their victory. It was the first defeat of the season for Munich
Bitter defeat for Bayern: On Wednesday evening, Munich were beaten 3-1 at Arsenal FC. The north Londoners were superior to FCB in the second half, with Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli scoring the decisive goals. This leaves them on twelve points after five games in the Champions League
Vincent Kompany’s starting line-up did not come as a surprise. The Belgian unsurprisingly deployed Josip Stanisic, Jonathan Tah, Dayot Upamecano and Konrad Laimer in the back four, with Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic forming the double-six. In attack, Lennart Karl and Serge Gnabry started alongside the established players around Harry Kane and Michael Olise
Munich had more of the play at the start and had significantly more possession than the Gunners in the opening quarter of an hour. At the same time, Vincent Kompany’s team were no closer to scoring the opening goal than the north Londoners. Mikel Arteta’s team were at their best in the tackles and repeatedly forced the visitors into dangerous losses of possession
Arsenal standard strength strikes again – Karl replies
An intense game quickly developed, although neither team was able to create any chances at first. And so it was the much-discussed strength of the ball that put the hosts ahead. After a corner from Bukayo Saka, a number of Arsenal players scrambled in the Munich penalty area and Jurrien Timber headed home. The Dutchman made it 1:0 in the 22nd minute
It remained an intense game after that, which mostly took place in midfield. Arsenal pressed extremely high and risky, but Bayern were unable to get past the Premier League leaders‘ final chain – until the 32nd minute
Arsenal always dangerous from set-pieces
Kimmich played an outstanding diagonal ball to Serge Gnabry, who took it directly and set up the incoming Karl. The youngster also took the half-high cross directly with his left foot, placed the ball into the London goal and made it 1:1 (32nd minute)
And so it was 1-1 at the break. After the break, Arsenal were again particularly dangerous from set-pieces, as in the 51st minute, when a Saka corner flew dangerously through the Munich penalty area, but no Gunners player was able to finish dangerously enough
Four minutes later, Mikel Merino had a dangerous header from a Saka cross from half-field, but it was too central. Arsenal were the superior team at this stage of the game, with Bayern getting their first goal of the second half in the 56th minute after a sprint down the right by Karl. The next dangerous Arsenal move came in the 58th minute, this time from a corner from the left. Merino narrowly missed with his header
Madueke shocks Bayern
The second half was dominated by dangerous Arsenal set-pieces. In the 60th minute, Mosquera headed straight at Neuer from a free-kick from halfway, but he made an excellent save. Bayern defended for the most part and never really got back into the game
Arteta’s team continued to press for the 2:1 and in the 62nd minute Neuer reacted strongly again, this time in a one-on-one with Declan Rice. The Englishman shot from close range from a half-left position in the penalty area, but failed to beat the five-time world goalkeeper
Arteta then proved to have a golden touch when he brought on Riccardo Califiori in the 68th minute, who crossed for Noni Madueke just a minute later to make it 2:1 for the Gunners. The lead had already been in the offing
Martinelli puts the lid on it
In the 71st minute, Kimmich played a powerful chip ball behind the chain to Gnabry, who took it on the volley and just missed. Nicolas Jackson then came on for the international and Kompany brought on Tom Bischof for Konrad Laimer
In the 77th minute, Eze played a long ball to Martinelli – Neuer was standing too far in front of his goal, allowing the Brazilian to pass the FCB captain and finish into an empty net (3:1)
It was Bayern’s first defeat of the season and next Saturday they will host FC St. Pauli in the Bundesliga (15:30).