Harry Kane scored from the penalty spot as Bayern Munich piled more misery on struggling Manchester United with a 4-3 home win in the Champions League on Wednesday, September 20. United traveled to Germany after a poor run of form and amid a raft of off-field issues and was offered little respite by a Bayern side who have now won their past 20 Champions League opening matches.
Bayern took control when visiting goalkeeper Andre Onana let Leroy Sane's weak shot roll into the net in the 28th minute before Serge Gnabry swept home a second. Rasmus Hojlund pulled one back before Kane drilled in a penalty early in the second half. Casemiro's late effort briefly gave United hope of an unlikely comeback against the run of play, but Bayern substitute Mathys Tel smashed home a fourth for the hosts in added time. Brazilian Casemiro nodded in another consolation goal for United from the last attack of the match.
Six-time European champions Bayern moved top of the early Group A table after Wednesday's earlier 2-2 draw between Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen in Istanbul.
It wasn't a rout like Napoli achieved routinely in last year's group phase, but the Serie A champion came away with a 2-1 victory at Braga. An 88th-minute own goal from Braga defender Sikou Niakate was the decider minutes after Bruma had equalized for the hosts. Niakate deflected in a cross from Piotr Zielinski.
Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo had scored in first-half stoppage time after Victor Osimhen nodded back a cross from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Osimhen also hit the crossbar in the first half for the visitors.
Napoli reached the quarterfinals last year for its best Champions League finish but is still getting accustomed to playing under new coach Rudi Garcia. Luciano Spalletti left after guiding the Partenopei to their first Serie A title since the days when Diego Maradona played for the club.
Napoli won five of six matches and scored 20 goals in last season's group phase. It was Braga's first Champions League group game in 11 years, having advanced through two qualifying rounds.
Jude Bellingham rescued Real Madrid with a 94th-minute strike to earn the Spanish giants a 1-0 win over Champions League debutants Union Berlin. Carlo Ancelotti's side, 14-time winners of the competition, were thwarted at every turn by their stubborn German opponents, who were only promoted to the Bundesliga four years ago, until Bellingham prodded home at the death.
The England international has started his Madrid career in stunning goalscoring form with six goals in six games for the club across all competitions. Madrid seemed destined to take only a point after Union Berlin goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow frustrated them and Rodrygo and Joselu both hit the woodwork, until Bellingham intervened.
Arsenal made a dream return to the Champions League as Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard inspired a 4-0 demolition of PSV Eindhoven. Back in Europe's elite club competition for the first time in six years, Arsenal swept aside the overwhelmed Dutch league leaders to prove they can cope with the step up in class.
Mikel Arteta's side ran riot in the first half at the Emirates Stadium, with Saka scoring his first goal in the competition before setting up Trossard to double the lead. Trossard also went from scorer to provider as he laid on the third goal for Gabriel Jesus, with Martin Odegaard completing the rout after the break.
Arsenal's previous game in the competition was in March 2017, when Bayern Munich completed a humiliating 10-2 aggregate victory in the last 16. The Gunners are a far more formidable force now, despite their lack of Champions League experience, and should cruise through Group B, which also features Sevilla and Lens.
Sevilla couldn't manage more than a 1-1 draw with Lens in their opening match of Group B. Lucas Ocampos put the hosts ahead with a header in the ninth minute. Angelo Fulgini equalized for the French club with a powerful free-kick strike in the 24th at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
Sevilla was coming off its first win of the season in a match against Las Palmas in the Spanish league on Sunday. Lens was winless in its last five matches, with four losses and a draw. Former Spain and Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos made his 138th Champions League appearance, the first with Sevilla. Sevilla is making its fourth straight Champions League appearance. It was eliminated in the group stage the last two seasons.
