Bayern and Arsenal share the spoils

FC Bayern were held to a 2-2 draw by Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Eberechi Eze and Alphonso Davies traded goals in the first half, with Harry Kane putting Bayern in front on the hour, but Declan Rice equalised with ten minutes to go.

Munich started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Minjae Kim and Josip Stanišić in a back four. Tom Bischof and Aleksandar Pavlović anchored a midfield featuring Serge Gnabry, Ismael Saibari and Davies, with Kane up front. Jonathan Tah came on for Kim at half-time. Lennart Karl, Luis Díaz and Nathaniel Brown replaed Gnabry, Saibari and Davies in the second half before Bara Sapoko Ndiaye took over from Díaz in the closing stages,

Finely poised

After feeling each other out in the first quarter-hour – during with Bukayo Saka was forced off for the visitors – Bayern created the first real chance when Kane’s long ball found Davies, who squared for Gnabry, but the latter saw his effort saved. Arsenal took the lead shortly after, Martin Ødegaard setting up Eze, who found the far corner of the net. 

Bayern equalised when Kane’s pinpoint pass released Davies, with the Canadian clinically finishing past Arsenal keeper David Raya. Kane saw a shot blocked and Riccardo Calafiori miscued at the other end as the sides went in at the break with the score 1-1.

Kane’s goal not enough

Bayern had to thank Neuer for keeping the score level when he clawed a Bruno Guimarães header off the line from a corner. Raya then produced a similar save from Upamecano’s header at the other end during a lively start to the second half, with Neuer parrying against Eze and Stanišić clearing.

Munich were awarded a penalty when Kane’s shot was blocked by a hand, and the Englishman dispatched it confidently. Laimer miscued a volley as Bayern went looking to put the game to bed, with Díaz warming Raya’s gloves, but Arsenal levelled when Rice smashed into the far corner of the net from a one-two. Neuer saved from Jurrien Timber in the final action of the game as Bayern and Arsenal shared the spoils.

The Bavarians will be back in action on Sunday when they travel to face Freiburg in the Bundesliga.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen