Bayern Munich draw at home to Ajax
Bayern Munich were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Dutch side Ajax on Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League group stage on Tuesday in a gripping encounter at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich 1-1 Ajax
Goals: 1-0 Hummels (4'), 1-1 Mazraoui (22')
Bayern burst out of the blocks at kick-off and had two half-chances before Mats Hummels broke the deadlock with a header from Arjen Robben's cross in the fourth minute. Robben went close with a trademark run and shot from the right wing as Bayern threatened to steamroller their visitors, only for Noussair Mazraoui to equalise out of the blue when he beat Manuel Neuer from just inside the box following a neat one-two. The Dutch side subsequently grew in confidence and there were further good opportunities at either end, but there were to be no more goals before the break.
The match continued to ebb and flow in the second period, but Bayern rode their luck on a number of occasions, with Dusan Tadic, Nicolas Tagliafico and Donny van de Beek guilty of squandering gilt-edged chances from close range with only Neuer to beat. James Rodriguez went closest to adding to the scoreline for Niko Kovac's side after neat interplay with Joshua Kimmich down the right, but Andre Onana clawed the ball off the line just when it appeared to be rolling in. Overall a draw was a fair result, leaving the two teams joint top of Group E with four points apiece.
Match stats
- Bayern had 57 per cent possession and completed 87 per cent of their passes; Ajax only completed 71 per cent of all their attempted passes.This was the first time that Bayern did not win in their last 13 home matches in the Champions League group.Ajax striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored 126 goals for Schalke between 2010 and 2017, including 82 in the Bundesliga.The result continued the clubs' dead even head-to-head record, with three wins apiece and three draws from nine meetings.Ajax boss ten Hag was coach of Bayern's reserve side between 2013 and 2015. Bayern have won the European Cup and/or Champions League five times (1974-76, 2001, 2013) while Ajax have achieved the feat four times (1971-73, 1995).
Want more Bundesliga Action?
Line-ups:
Bayern: Neuer (c) - Kimmich, Boateng, Hummels (Süle 90+3'), Alaba – Martinez, Thiago - Robben (James 62'), Müller, Ribery (Gnabry 75') – Lewandowski
Unused subs: Ulreich, Wagner, Goretzka, Sanches
Absentees: Coman (ankle), Rafinha (ankle), Tolisso (knee)
Coach: Niko Kovac
Ajax: Onana – Mazraoui, De Ligt (c), Wöber, Tagliafico – Van de Beek (De Wit 75'), Schöne, Blind – Ziyech, Tadic, Neres (Dolberg 85')
Unused subs: Lamprou, Kristensen, Eiting, Schuurs
Absentees: Veltman (knee), Sinkgraven (knee), De Jong (calf), Bande (calf)
Coach: Erik ten Hag
As it happened