Bayern and Liverpool Legends play out ten-goal thriller

Skill, tricks, and goals galore – the charity match between FC Bayern Legends their Liverpool counterparts fully lived up to its pre-match billing as a highly entertaining encounter ended in a 5-5 draw. The men from Munich only just missed out on registering a first-ever victory for a German team at Liverpool’s Anfield.

The sell-out 54,014 crowd saw goals from Dirk Kuyt (5), Michael Owen (9), Robbie Fowler (17, 45) and Kvarme (87) for the home team. Luca Toni (20), Alexander Zickler (22, 33), Paulo Sergio (30) and Xabi Alonso (72), who played a half for both sides, were on target for the German record champions.

The Liverpooler Legends spearheaded by Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman and Jamie Carragher roared off the blocks, with Kuyt, Owen and captain Fowler rapidly handing their team a 3-0 lead. But Bayern settled and hit back with goals from Toni and Zickler to cut the home side’s advantage to 3-2 midway through the first half

There were chances at both ends as the side ripped into each other now, but the Bayern Legends proved more clinical. Sergio leveled on the half-hour, before Zickler completed his brace to send FCB into a 3-2 lead. However, Fowler’s deflected free-kick meant the sides turned round with the score 4-4.

The match ran out of steam a little in the second half, and a raft of changes on both sides meant the flow was lost for a spell. There were still chances for both teams but the assembled Legends lacked a little ruthlessness in front of goal. However, that was more than made up for by a range of tricks and skills as the veterans reminded the crowd of their enduring quality.

Midway through the second half Xabi Alonso put Bayern back in front with a direct free-kick, but Kvarme blasted home three minutes from time to level the scores at 5-5. At the end of the day everyone was a winner: the crowd, who were richly entertained throughout, but especially the Liverpool FC Foundation and FC Bayern Hilfe e.V, beneficiaries of the proceeds from the match.