WATCH: Alphonso Davies scores for Bayern Munich in Champions League draw vs. Arsenal
Alphonso Davies playing left wing was a surprise development when Bayern Munich lined up against Arsenal for a highly-anticipated Champions League clash, but it proved to be the right decision when Davies scored in the 2-2 draw at Allianz Arena. With Michael Olise suspended, former Arsenal man Serge Gnabry started on the right wing, and Davies was selected to start on the left, rather than bringing in Lennart Karl or starting Luis Díaz - who had a hat trickin Bayern's 6-1 win over RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Both Diaz and Karl came off the bench in the second half, but Diaz left again due to injury. After Arsenal took the lead in the 25th minute through Eberechi Eze, Davies tied it 10 minutes later with a striker's finish - tucking the ball past the oncoming David Raya after Harry Kane picked him out with one of the best passes you'll ever see.
Eze brought down a brilliant pass from Martin Ødegaard before bouncing a low shot into the bottom-right corner to open the scoring. It was called back at first for offside, but after a check with the VAR, he was kept onside by Josip Stanišić - who was filling in for Davies at left-back.
Eze had only come off the bench 15 minutes earlier when Bukayo Saka was forced off with an early injury. Davies looked lively in a position where people have always known he can play, but that has been on the backburner for most of his career as he established himself as one of the sport's premier left-backs.
An Arsenal backline that is resolute but not necessarily known for its speed struggled in certain moments against Davies' surging runs down the left flank, as well as the movement in the box of Kane, who has killed the team he grew up supporting throughout his career. Kane, who could win the Ballon d'Or at next week's ceremony, gave Bayern the lead again with a penalty on the hour mark, stepping up to bury it himself after a shot moments earlier struck the arm of Gabriel - making it 10 UCL games in a row with a goal for him.
He scored his 16th goal in 23 appearances against Arsenal when he picked out the top-left corner of the net, but Declan Rice tied it late with a cross-goal shot past Manuel Neuer. Davies came off moments after Rice's strike for Nathaniel Brown as Vincent Kompany rolled the dice late, but neither side could find a third goal.
🎯🔴 Kane's shot strikes Gabriel's arm inside the box, and the referee points to the spot! The Englishman steps up and converts to make it 2-1 against Arsenal!
Davies also scored in the Bodø/Glimt match, and was at his very best against Arsenal, but it was the Englishman who was fully deserving of the top plaudits once again. The two sides met last year at this same stage of the competition before Arsenal ended up going on a run to the final, losing to Paris Saint-Germain - who beat Bayern in the other semifinal.
Arsenal did go on to win their first Premier League title in years, while Bayern won the Bundesliga crown once again, as they are favoured to do every season. Both have ambitions of European glory next, Arsenal for the first time and Bayern for the first time since 2020.