COPENHAGEN: Thomas Muller came off the bench to set up the winning goal for fellow substitute Mathys Tel as Bayern Munich came from a goal down to beat Denmark’s FC Kobenhavn 2-1 in their Champions League Group A clash at the Parken Stadium.
With his side struggling to create against the Danish champions, the 34-year-old Muller entered the game in the 77th minute and used his vast experience to first outrun the defence and then out-muscle it before teeing up Tel to take all three points.
Bayern did not manage a shot on target until late in the first half as Copenhagen’s compact defence neutralised the threat offered by the pace of Kingsley Coman and Leroy Sane on the Munich flanks.
That allowed the home side to take a shock lead in the 56th minute when Bayern failed to clear Viktor Claesson’s shot, and midfielder Lukas Lerager followed up with a clever bouncing drive to put the Danish champions in the driving seat.
Bayern struck back in the 67th minute as Jamal Musiala jinked left and right on the edge of the area before dispatching a low shot into the corner of the net beyond the dive of Kamil Grabara.
Making his 144th appearance in the Champions League, Muller wasted no time getting involved as he crossed for Leon Goretzka, but the midfielder’s header drifted wide of the target.
Undeterred, Muller embarked on a lung-busting run to track down Harry Kane’s flick-on, and he firmly stood his ground before passing for Tel to fire home the winner two minutes later.
Kobenhavn substitute Jordan Larsson almost snatched a point for his side in the fifth minute of stoppage time as his header was steered goalwards by Eric Choupo-Moting, but Sven Ulreich pulled off a tremendous diving save to keep the lead intact.
United crash
Bayern now sit top of the group on six points, two ahead of Galatasaray, who beat Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford to leave United bottom.
Casemiro was sent off giving away a penalty which the Turkish side missed before scoring the winner to leave the hosts bottom of Champions League Group A.
Looking to put a fourth Premier League defeat of the season against Crystal Palace on Saturday to the backs of their minds, United flew out of the traps in the Manchester rain, racing into a 17th-minute lead through Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund.
Their advantage lasted less than six minutes however as Wilfried Zaha, playing against his former club, scooped home the equaliser after poor defending from the hosts.
After the break, Hojlund brilliantly capitalised on a slip from Galatasaray defender Davinson Sanchez to clip United back in front in the 67th minute, only for Kerem Akturkoglu to level four minutes later and stun Old Trafford into silence.
A mistake from United goalkeeper Andre Onana forced Brazilian midfielder Casemiro to conceded a penalty, which saw him sent off after receiving a second yellow card.
Mauro Icardi let United off the hook as he drilled his spot kick wide but the Argentine picked himself up and slotted home a fine winner nine minutes from time to send Galatasaray up to second in the group on four points and leave United pointless.
############