🇪🇺 Man Utd collapse; Kane ignites Bayern; Real advance; Arsenal cruise | OneFootball

There was another full slate of Champions League games to dive into Wednesday evening as we entered the back-half of the group stage. Here is what went down around the grounds.

Man United collapse in seven-goal thriller

Scorers: Elyounoussi 45′, Gonçalves (P) 45+9′, Lerager 84′, Bardghji 87′ ; Højlund 4′, 29′, Fernandes (P) 69′

Upon his return to Copenhagen, Rasmus Højlun made his mark by capping off a superb team goal to give Manchester United the lead inside five minutes.

An electric counter-attack saw Højlund tap home a saved shot to give United a two-goal advantage before the half-hour mark.

United looked to be in cruise control but then disaster struck; a Marcus Rashford challenge was judged to have been serious foul play after a VAR check, and the Red Devils saw red just before the break.

It quickly got worse for the Premier League outfit as Copenhagen cut their lead in half through Mohamed Elyounoussi.

With plenty of additional time at the hand of the first-half, United continued to falter. A hand-ball in the box from Harry Maguire saw the hosts awarded a penalty, which was dispatched by Diogo Gonçalves to reclaim parity.

The drama continued after the break when Manchester United got a penalty-kick for a handball of their own, which was coolly dispatched by Bruno Fernandes to give United the lead once again.

The lead would not last forever though, as Lukas Lerager bundled home from close range to reinstate the deadlock in the dying minutes.

The final twist came before stoppage time as Copenhagen snatched a winner through Roony Bardghji, who came off the bench to send a half-volley in the back of the net and stun the visitors from the Premier League.

Manchester United move to the bottom of the group with the result.

Real book knockouts with comfortable Braga victory

Scorers: Díaz 27′, Vinícius Júnior 58′, Rodrygo 61′

Braga had a chance to stun the Bernabéu crowd in the opening 10 minutes when they were awarded a penalty-kick, but Álvaro Djaló saw his spot-kick dramatically saved by Andriy Lunin, who was filling in for the injured Kepa.

Braga were punished for their missed opportunity, as Brahim Díaz tapped home a Rodrygo cross to give the home side the lead.

After knocking on the door, Real nabbed their second of the night through Vini Jr., seeing Los Blancos put one foot into the knockout rounds.

The tie was all but won just moments later when Real Madrid ripped through Braga on the counter, capped off by a deft finish from Rodrygo to put the hosts three ahead.

Bayern hang on to remain top

Scorers: Kane 80′, 86′ ; Bakambu 90+2′

Mauro Icardi looked to be in behind the Bayern defence and ready to fire Galatasaray into the lead, but the striker’s effort was tame and saved by Manuel Neuer.

Harry Kane should have put Bayern ahead after the restart, but somehow the former Tottenham man saw his effort hit the post from point-blank range.

Galatasaray appeared to have snatched the lead through Lucas Torreira to stun the home side, but the goal was ruled out for a razor-sharp offside call.

Kane finally looked to head Bayern into the lead, which was confirmed after a VAR review, to spark massive celebrations around the Allianz Arena.

Kane doubled his tally and Bayern’s lead just a few minutes later to kill off the Turkish side.

Cédric Bakambu came off the bench to cut the home side’s lead, but it was too little, too late from the visitors.

Inter advance with narrow win

Scorers: Martínez (P) 85′

Inter pushed for an opener and should have found it past the half-hour mark, but somehow Alessandro Bastoni sent his point-blank header just wide of the post.

It took until the dying minutes but Lautaro Martínez came off the bench to fire Inter into the lead from the spot, all but sending Inter into the next round.

Arsenal cruise past Sevilla

Scorers: Trossard 29′, Saka 64′

A Bukayo Saka free-kick from the edge of the box was the first big chance to come the way of the Gunners, but the effort was just high of the far post.

While Arsenal were knocking on the door for nearly 30 minutes, they finally kicked it down with a slick team move that was capped off by Leandro Trossard from close range.

With Sevilla stretching to get back into the game, Arsenal had plenty of space to hit the Spanish side on the counter, and they did that with aplomb as Bukayo Saka fired home from the wing to double the hosts’ lead.

The comfortable victory sees Arsenal take a four point lead atop Group B.

PSV hold off Lens to stay second in Group B

Scorers: De Jong 12′

PSV got off to the start they were looking for when Luuk de Jong headed home from close range inside the opening 15 minutes.

Lens pushed for an equaliser in the dying minutes, creating a flurry of chances but each one fell by the wayside at the dying moment.

The early strike was all PSV needed to hang on and collect all three points to remain in second place in Group B as they aim for qualification to the knockout rounds.

Union take famous point in Naples

Scorers: Politano 39′ ; Fofana 52′

Napoli forced the issue in the early going, looking to snatch a quick lead. But a Natan header that flew just past the post was the closest the home side would come in the opening minutes.

The home side kept Union pinned deep but struggled mightily to find a way through their solid rearguard.

The first warning shot was fired across Union’s bow when Natan won his header once again, this time firing the effort off the face of the post.

Napoli appeared to find the breakthrough when André-Frank Zambo Anguissa headed home from point-blank range, but a VAR review revealed that Giovanni Di Lorenzo fouled an Union Berlin player in the build up, seeing the goal chalked off.

Finally after nearly 40 minutes of probing, Napoli snatched the lead when Mário Rui took a double deflection, lastly off of Matteo Politano, before finding the back of the net.

While Napoli looked keen on finding a second, it was an Union counterattack that produced the next goal in the game when David Datro Fofana opened his Champions League account and stunned the home crowd.

The leveller was all Union needed to snatch a famous draw and secure their first ever Champions League point. Meanwhile Napoli remain second in Group C for now.

Real Sociedad cruise to down Benfica

Scorers: Merino 6′, Oyarzabal 11′, Barrenetxea 21′ ; Silva 49′

La Real were at it from the off, pushing Benfica deep into their own half.

They were rewarded for their efforts inside the opening 10 minutes when Mikel Merino pounced on a scuffed shot to head home and give the hosts the lead.

It quickly went from bad to worse for Benfica as Sociedad skipper Mikel Oyarzabal pounced on some disastrous play at the back to fire the LaLiga outfit two ahead just five minutes later.

The tie was all but killed as the clock ticked past 20 minutes when Ander Barrenetxea cut inside to fire home a rasping shot into the top corner to put Sociedad three ahead in the snap of a finger.

Benfica’s blushes were spared before the 30 minute mark however, as Brais Méndez sent a penalty-shot off the post after Nicolás Otamendi fouled a Sociedad player in the box.

Rafa Silva gave Benfica a lifeline shortly after the restart, cutting the hosts’ lead to two with most of the second half still to play.

Benfica posed little threat after Silva’s strike, struggling to claw their way back into the game as Sociedad slowed the pace of the game down to a crawl.

The impressive victory sees Real Sociedad move to the top of Group D.