Rice Rescues Arsenal Late at Bayern as Real Madrid Rout Leipzig for Third Straight Champions League Win
Two big matches told two very different stories in the UEFA Champions League league phase on Wednesday night. At the Allianz Arena in Munich, Arsenal fought back late to draw 2-2 with hosts Bayern Munich and take home a valuable point, while at the Santiago Bernabeu Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1 to record their third straight win.
Arsenal suffered an early blow at Bayern's ground. Just 10 minutes into the match, Bukayo Saka, one of the team's key attackers, had to leave the field injured. But his replacement, Eberechi Eze, did not disappoint the supporters.
In the 25th minute Eze scored from a Martin Odegaard pass to put Arsenal ahead. The lead did not last long at the German giants' home ground, however.
Bayern levelled in the 35th minute. Canadian footballer Alphonso Davies took a pass from Harry Kane, drove into the box and found the target. The first half ended 1-1, and after the break the hosts raised their attacking tempo further.
In the 61st minute Kane himself put Bayern ahead from the penalty spot. The penalty was awarded after the ball struck the hand of Arsenal's Jurrien Timber, and the English striker made no mistake with the chance.
Trailing, Arsenal pushed desperately to get back into the match, and the goal they wanted finally arrived in the 82nd minute. From a combined attack by Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres, Declan Rice sent the ball into the net to make it 2-2. With no further goals, the two sides left the field sharing the points.
At the Bernabeu, by contrast, Real Madrid's start was somewhat shaky. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois kept his team in the match by stopping several dangerous Leipzig attacks early on. Having weathered that pressure, the hosts went ahead late in the first half.
In the 43rd minute the Leipzig goalkeeper parried a Federico Valverde shot, but Bernardo Silva pounced on the rebound and sent the ball into the net. Real went into the break leading 1-0.
Seven minutes into the second half the lead was doubled. From a Jude Bellingham cross, Arda Guler turned the ball in just before Kylian Mbappe's header could reach the goal. Then, in the 83rd minute, Mbappe himself scored with a superb shot from outside the box to all but seal Real's win.
A minute later Tidiame Gomis pulled one back for Leipzig. But in the 87th minute substitute Yan Diomande scored Real's fourth with an outstanding volley, and the Spanish giants left the field with a big 4-1 victory.
The biggest surprise of the day's other matches came from Italy's Como, who beat Manchester United 4-1, with Nico Paz scoring twice and adding an assist. Galatasaray beat Lille 4-2, Aston Villa defeated Viking 3-1 and Club Brugge beat Lens 3-0.
Inter Milan beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0. Real Betis won by the same scoreline against Feyenoord, and LASK finished the day with a 3-2 win over Sporting CP. All told, football fans were treated to another European night full of goals and drama.
