UEFA Champions League Matchday 3: Three Key Takeaways As Bayern Munich and Arsenal Draw
UEFA Champions League action concluded on Wednesday, October 21, with the second day of Champions League Matchday 3. Champions League Matchday 3 began Tuesday, October 20, with Paris Saint-Germain beating FC Barcelona and handing Barcelona its first loss of the season.
It ended yesterday with a heavyweight showdown between Champions League contenders Bayern Munich and Arsenal, which ended in a draw. Now, as we wait for Matchday 4 in two weeks, PSG lead theleague phase tablewith nine points, tied with four other teams, thanks to a superior goal difference and more goals scored.
Now that all 36 teams have played their first three league-phase games, the second day of Champions League Matchday 3 showed another favourite to win this year's competition alongside PSG and Barcelona, and which teams are in serious trouble for falling short of expectations. From shocking results to exciting games, here are the biggest takeaways from the second day of Champions League Matchday 3.
Three Key Takeaways From Champions League Matchday 3 1. Arsenal Emerge As Winners Despite Draw Against Bayern Munich One year after Arsenal and Bayern Munich met in the league phase, the two teams met again in Germany.
Heading into the game, questions remained about both teams after Arsenal struggled in their Premier League match against Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich drew unexpectedly with Viking FK on the final Champions League matchday.
In the end, despite the draw, Arsenal emerged as the winners, earning a result in a tough environment. It was an evenly matched game: both teams had five shots on target and plenty of chances to score.
However, the game tilted in Bayern Munich's favour in the ninth minute when Arsenal substituted Bukayo Saka for Eberechi Eze after Saka was injured, leaving the Gunners without their most dangerous winger. Despite Saka's injury, Arsenal kept threatening and were rewarded in the 25th minute when Eze scored.
After the goal, Harry Kane took over, assisted Bayern's first and scored Bayern's second to overturn the one-goal deficit, and it looked like Bayern were on track for a much-needed win. However, Arsenal's resilience saved the day when Declan Rice scored a crucial goal in the 82nd minute, as Bayern Munich were in control and threatening to double their lead.
In the end, the Gunners got a massive result despite having a lower expected goals total, 54% possession, and being dominated after Bayern's second goal. This spoke volumes about the team's depth and perseverance, as the Gunners once again got a result without the attack threatening to score.