Bayern Munich defeated Manchester United 4-3 in a chaotic Champions League game at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, after which United goalkeeper André Onana said that he was to blame for the loss.
Onana, who joined United from Inter Milan in July, failed to keep out Leroy Sané’s first-half shot to give Bayern a 1-0 lead, the German international’s shot slipping through Onana’s hands when he might have expected to save it.
Serge Gnabry’s goal minutes later made it 2-0 and Bayern maintained the advantage in the entertaining contest from there, despite three United goals in the second half.
“It’s a difficult situation for us, for me especially because I’m the one who let the team down … We just have to move on,” Onana said on TNT Sports. “This is the life of a goalkeeper and, if we didn’t win today, it’s because of me.”
He added: “The team went down because of that mistake. I have to learn from it and be strong, move on … It was one of my worst games.”
However, United manager Erik ten Hag told reporters that “in football there will always be mistakes” and said that Onana will “bounce back” from the error.
This was arguably the most eagerly-anticipated match during the opening week of the Champions League group stage, pitting two of Europe’s most storied and successful clubs against each other.
After Harry Kane linked up with Sané for the game’s opening goal and Gnabry capitalized on Jamal Musiala’s brilliant break down the left side to give Bayern a healthy half-time lead, Rasmus Højlund’s deflected shot – his first goal for United – made it 2-1 early in the second half.
Kane, who had been linked with a move to United over the summer, increased Bayern’s lead from the penalty spot after Christian Eriksen’s handball, but United refused to back down as Casemiro bundled in his team’s second goal from the ground.
Thomas Müller hit the post with Bayern looking to increase its lead, before 18-year-old forward Mathys Tel scored his first Champions League goal moments later to make it 4-2.
That wrapped up the victory for Bayern, though former Real Madrid man Casemiro’s header from Bruno Fernandes’ whipped free-kick right at the end of added time offered United some consolation.
“It was a crazy finish,” Kane, who has now scored five goals from his first six appearances in Germany, told TNT Sports. “I think for the majority of the game, we really controlled it, dictated the tempo … Overall, it’s a really good start to the campaign.”
For Manchester United, the result compounds the club’s poor start to the season having lost four of the past five games, including a 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton last Saturday.
“I think they’ve got to look at ways to frame this for these players to get some confidence going into the game at the weekend because this is three defeats on the bounce now,” said former United defender and TNT Sports pundit Rio Ferdinand.
“No one really would have expected them to win today, we didn’t expect them to win today, but the performance I don’t think was up to scratch.”
United next faces Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday, while Bayern plays VfL Bochum in the Bundesliga.
