Arsenal beat Bayern Munich for the first time in a decade to maintain their 100 percent record in this season’s Champions League with a 3-1 home win sending Mikel Arteta’s side clear at the top of the group on Wednesday.
Jurrien Timber headed Arsenal in front from a corner after 22 minutes only for teenager Lennart Karl to equalise for the six-time European champions before halftime.
Arsenal dominated the second half though and displayed their enviable squad depth as substitutes Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli scored the goals to make it five wins from five.
It proved a quiet return to north London for prolific Bayern striker Harry Kane as his side suffered their first defeat of the season in all competitions.
With Inter Milan losing, Arsenal are now the only team in the competition with a maximum 15 points and look all but assured of a place in the last 16.
Six points clear at the top of the Premier League and Bundesliga respectively and boasting flawless records after four games in the Champions League, Arsenal and Bayern Munich have been Europe’s stand-out teams this season.
The sides met in the quarter-finals two years ago with Bayern edging it, but Arsenal have reached another level since that clash and went into Wednesday’s game on a 15-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
While the 15th meeting between the clubs lacked jeopardy, given their strong positions in the group, bragging rights and psychological blows were up for grabs.
It was Arsenal who emerged with both, thanks to a statement win that will reverberate around Europe.
Bayern, backed by a vociferous travelling army, oozed confidence early on but were stunned in the 22nd minute by the sort of devastatingly simple goal Arsenal have trademarked.
Bukayo Saka swung in a corner, Myles Lewis-Skelly made himself a nuisance in front of Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer and Timber was free to glance a header into the net.
The lead lasted only 10 minutes though as Bayern responded with another move right off the training ground.
After a long passing sequence, Joshua Kimmich’s raking diagonal pass found Michael Olise whose volleyed pass across the goal was met by 17-year-old Karl who became the first player to score against Arsenal in the Champions League this season.
While Kane, scorer of 26 goals for club and country this season, was largely shackled and taunted by the home fans, Karl was a livewire and should have scored again early in the second half when he burst through but shot straight at David Raya.
After that Arsenal swept Bayern aside.
Mikel Merino nodded a header down and just wide from a Rice corner, Cristhian Mosquera forced Neuer into a desperate block and the keeper then saved from Rice after the midfielder’s marauding run into the area.
Bayern’s defence was creaking though and Arsenal’s pressure paid off in the 69th minute when Riccardo Calafiori fired in a cross from the left that fellow substitute Madueke turned in for his first goal since joining from Chelsea.
Eight minutes later Neuer had a moment to forget when he charged out of his goal trying to cut out Eberechi Eze’s pass but got nowhere near the ball and Martinelli was left with the simple task of shooting into an empty net.
Bayern slipped to third as one of four clubs on 12 points although with home games against Sporting and Union Saint-Gilloise next they are in good shape to seal a top-eight spot.-Reuters
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