In the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, Bayern Munich travelled to Paris to play PSG, who have sort of become a modern-day rival in Europe.
The first major chance of the game went to the Germans when Marquinhos ultimately fouled Luis Diaz in the box to give Bayern a penalty, which was coolly converted by Harry Kane to make it 1-0 within the first 20 minutes.
However, Bayern’s lead would not last for long, as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would go one-on-one with Josip Stanisic, and after cutting in on his left, the Georgian’s curling effort made it 1-1.
The Parisians would then take the lead not long after, when a PSG corner was met by the head of Joao Neves, one of the smaller people on the pitch, to make it 2-1.
Just before the break, Michael Olise would then level it to make it 2-2. However, the game would not go in at the break level, as PSG would be awarded a penalty for a handball (which was slightly harsh) from Alphonso Davies, which Ousmane Dembele converted to make it 3-2 with more or less the last kick of the first half.
If you thought the 45 minutes were exciting, just wait until you get the second half.
After the break, Kvaratskhelia would score a cut back after he was left wide open by the Bayern defence to make it 4-2, then three minutes later, Dembele scored his second to make it 5-2, and it looked as if the Bundesliga side’s chances of progression were hanging by a thread.
Then, within their own four-minute period, Bayern were back in the game and tied when first Dayot Upamecano and then Luis Diaz scored to make it 5-4. The latter goal by the Colombian was a highlight, not only his touch to bring the ball down, but his finish too.
Only being behind by one goal, with the second leg to be played at the Allianz Arena next week, is probably the best situation Bayern could find themselves in, considering their situation in the 60th minute when they were down by three goals.
Obviously, Vincent Kompany will probably not be happy with how this game descended into a basketball game, and Bayern conceded five goals. The last time Bayern conceded five in a game was in a 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga in 2023, and the time before that was in 2021 when they lost 5-0 to Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB Pokal.
A game played at a breakneck speed is set up nicely for the second leg.
Same time next Wednesday?
Bayern Munich:
Manuel Neuer (5), Josip Stanisic (5), Jonathan Tah (5), Dayot Upamecano (6), Alphonso Davies (4), Joshua Kimmich (6), Aleksander Pavlovic (5), Michael Olise (7), Jamal Musiala (5), Luis Diaz (7), Harry Kane(7)
Others: Konrad Laimer (6), Leon Goretzka (5)
GGFN Man of the Match: Harry Kane (7)
The striker showed why this season he is having one of the best campaigns of his career. Not only did he show the necessary cool to open the scoring, but he also showed his versatility and how his constant movement created so many problems for the PSG centre-backs, and then allowed the likes of Luis Diaz and Michael Olise to thrive in transition.
Bayern will need Kane to step up again next week to book their tickets to Budapest.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
