Bayern München have suffered their first Champions League defeat of the season. The German champions were beaten 2-0 away to Arsenal and recorded their first defeat of the current season in any competition. Pep Guardiola’s side missed out on a 13th consecutive win as well as their third consecutive away victory at Arsenal.
The Gunners on the other hand, with World Cup winners Mesut Özil and Per Mertesacker in the starting XI, showed courage and went on to celebrate their first win in the group stage - after having lost to both Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos in the opening two games.
The timely substitute Olivier Giroud scored in the 77th minute to make it 1-0, capitalising on a mistake by the otherwise outstanding Manuel Neuer. The Goalkeeper of the Year mistimed his jump at a free kick and watched the ball sail past him where Giroud was able to guide it over the line in a crowded six-yard box - albeit, with his arm. In the last minute of stoppage time, Özil finished off a counterattack to clinch the victory.
Big chances for both sides
Bayern went into the game on the back of a Bundesliga-record-breaking nine victories to start the season with great self-confidence, but were first of all lucky to not concede an early goal in their duel against Özil, Mertesacker and Co.
In the seventh minute, after a slip up in the Bayern defence, Özil suddenly found himself in a one-on-one against goalkeeper Neuer, but failed to get enough power behind his shot with his weaker right foot and his Mannschaft colleague reacted quickly to push the shot wide.
After the early warning, the Munich men - who had been involved in a small traffic accident on the team bus in London’s infamous rush hour - began to show their usual dominance. The first chance for Bayern was however saved after a fantastic reflex from Arsenal keeper Petr Cech to deny a completely unmarked Thiago in the eleventh minute.
Neuer denies Walcott
Bayern, who were without Arjen Robben, Mario Götze, Franck Ribéry, Medhi Benatia and Sebastian Rode, continued to press. Arsenal, currently at second place in the Premier League relied almost entirely on counterattacks, which often lacked the final ball.
Nevertheless, the Gunners gradually began to play their way out of the visitors’ stronghold and soon saw the best chance of the first half fall to Theo Walcott. A header from only a few yards out was however clawed off the line in world-class style by Neuer. At the other end, Bayern could have been awarded a penalty after a handball from Alexis Sanchez right before the half-time whistle.
After the restart, the tempo of the game was turned down a notch as both teams began to sit back a little more. Arsenal sat deep and waited for Bayern mistakes, while Bayern looked for that gap in the Arsenal defence. The German side kept popping up in front of goal with a chance, but they lacked the accuracy to take the lead.
Giroud and Özil with the late goals
It was not until the 75th minute that Bayern showed any real danger. Goal-machine Robert Lewandowski was on the end of a counterattack with a chance to shoot, Arsenal’s Petr Cech saved superbly. Only seconds later a Thomas Müller effort fizzed past the post.
Then Giroud came up with the punishment for their squandered chances. Bayern did not welcome the prospect of a defeat and began to press hard for the equaliser. But the Gunners, with Özil playing the full 90 minutes kept breaking free. The last chance for Bayern fell to Thiago in the 89th minute - then later - following a terrific counterattack by Bellerin - Özil killed the game as he squeezed it over the line despite Neuer’s best efforts.
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Bayern München have suffered their first Champions League defeat of the season. The German champions were beaten 2-0 away to Arsenal and recorded their first defeat of the current season in any competition. Pep Guardiola’s side missed out on a 13th consecutive win as well as their third consecutive away victory at Arsenal.
The Gunners on the other hand, with World Cup winners Mesut Özil and Per Mertesacker in the starting XI, showed courage and went on to celebrate their first win in the group stage - after having lost to both Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos in the opening two games.
The timely substitute Olivier Giroud scored in the 77th minute to make it 1-0, capitalising on a mistake by the otherwise outstanding Manuel Neuer. The Goalkeeper of the Year mistimed his jump at a free kick and watched the ball sail past him where Giroud was able to guide it over the line in a crowded six-yard box - albeit, with his arm. In the last minute of stoppage time, Özil finished off a counterattack to clinch the victory.
Big chances for both sides
Bayern went into the game on the back of a Bundesliga-record-breaking nine victories to start the season with great self-confidence, but were first of all lucky to not concede an early goal in their duel against Özil, Mertesacker and Co.
In the seventh minute, after a slip up in the Bayern defence, Özil suddenly found himself in a one-on-one against goalkeeper Neuer, but failed to get enough power behind his shot with his weaker right foot and his Mannschaft colleague reacted quickly to push the shot wide.
After the early warning, the Munich men - who had been involved in a small traffic accident on the team bus in London’s infamous rush hour - began to show their usual dominance. The first chance for Bayern was however saved after a fantastic reflex from Arsenal keeper Petr Cech to deny a completely unmarked Thiago in the eleventh minute.
Neuer denies Walcott
Bayern, who were without Arjen Robben, Mario Götze, Franck Ribéry, Medhi Benatia and Sebastian Rode, continued to press. Arsenal, currently at second place in the Premier League relied almost entirely on counterattacks, which often lacked the final ball.
Nevertheless, the Gunners gradually began to play their way out of the visitors’ stronghold and soon saw the best chance of the first half fall to Theo Walcott. A header from only a few yards out was however clawed off the line in world-class style by Neuer. At the other end, Bayern could have been awarded a penalty after a handball from Alexis Sanchez right before the half-time whistle.
After the restart, the tempo of the game was turned down a notch as both teams began to sit back a little more. Arsenal sat deep and waited for Bayern mistakes, while Bayern looked for that gap in the Arsenal defence. The German side kept popping up in front of goal with a chance, but they lacked the accuracy to take the lead.
Giroud and Özil with the late goals
It was not until the 75th minute that Bayern showed any real danger. Goal-machine Robert Lewandowski was on the end of a counterattack with a chance to shoot, Arsenal’s Petr Cech saved superbly. Only seconds later a Thomas Müller effort fizzed past the post.
Then Giroud came up with the punishment for their squandered chances. Bayern did not welcome the prospect of a defeat and began to press hard for the equaliser. But the Gunners, with Özil playing the full 90 minutes kept breaking free. The last chance for Bayern fell to Thiago in the 89th minute - then later - following a terrific counterattack by Bellerin - Özil killed the game as he squeezed it over the line despite Neuer’s best efforts.
