The Champions League night makes teams do something extra, and Arsenal and Bayern Munich had to move away from their usual strengths to keep each other at bay. Arsenal took the game to Bayern with patient possession, while Vincent Kompany’s side showed they could threaten without dominating the ball. In the end, neither approach secured all three points in a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena.

Arsenal and Bayern step outside their comfort zones in Champions League thriller. (REUTERS)

It was an end-to-end game at Allianz Arena, where both teams had to play out of their skin to earn three points, but had to settle for one each.

The fight on display by both teams was predictable, but not their approach. Arsenal looked more patient with the ball and made crucial passes to move it forward and break Bayern’s deadlock. They weren’t waiting for a chance but were out to create under high pressure. Off the ball, the defensive line formed a back line, at least in the initial minutes, to prevent Bayern from making easy runs.

When Bukayo Saka got an early goal around the 10th minute, it was a moment when Arsenal might have panicked in the past. But with the squad depth they have developed recently—they had Eberechi Eze on the bench—that wasn’t the case. Arteta was calm while replacing Saka with Eze, his face showing a comforting smile as he sent the number 10 on the field.

The Gunners didn’t change their approach apart from putting Noni Madueke on the right flank in Saka’s place and Eze on the left. Bayern missed Joshua Kimmich, a leader in their backline. The transition from one end to another had pace and passing. Martin Odegaard caught Bayern’s defensive line off-guard with a chip from midfield to Eze, who was sharp enough to receive and fire past Manuel Neuer with a right-footed strike to open the scoring. It came almost against the run of play. Before that, Arsenal were playing short, quick passes to move forward, but Odegaard’s through ball in the air laid bare Bayern’s defence.

It was time for Bayern to respond, but they were missing their creative force, Michael Olise, who was suspended for this match. Bayern have managed without Jamal Musiala, but Olise has been their driving engine for the forwards. Kompany found a way for the big night, and Harry Kane played a big role. The Englishman was ready to hit hard yards, dropping into midfield as he switched to more of a number 10 role, something we don’t see from modern strikers like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

The Bayern number 9 not only scores goals but also runs back deep to help his midfielders, as seen in crucial World Cup encounters. Kompany made a bold call to play Alphonso Davies at left wing, not as a full back, to use his speed to disrupt Arsenal’s defence. Davies did the same with the equaliser, but credit goes to Kane for the pass from near the centre of the pitch to find Davies, which Arsenal weren’t expecting. The first half ended 1-1.

The Gunners looked more patient and comfortable on the ball in the early minutes of the second half. Bayern didn’t lose their calm despite not playing their usual game, which was to hold more possession. They relied on counterattacks to stun Arsenal’s defensive line that was missing William Saliba. Kane continued to play deep and tried to win the ball in midfield, allowing Ismael Saibari and Konrad Laimer to make off-the-ball movements to find space in attack. In the 60th minute, Kane arrived in front of the box to receive a pass from Laimer and took a shot, which was blocked. Jurrien Timber had a hand on it, gifting Bayern a crucial penalty.

Kane sent David Raya the wrong way to score his 16th goal against Arsenal and make it 2-1 for his side. The Englishman has been in terrific form, continuing where he left off last season, and the way he has been helping his team create chances despite being a number 9 is what sets him apart.

Kane’s performance in the last 11 matches for club and country:

Kane’s influence was everywhere in the game, as he even took the goal kicks to ensure smooth distribution of passes despite having an experienced Neuer in goal.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have found a way to score late goals this season, changing outcomes. They did it against Nottingham Forest with an 80th-minute goal in the 1-0 win. The Leeds clash also saw Arsenal score two after the 60th minute, while trailing by a goal, to seal the match 2-1 in their favour. They did it in the Champions League too against Napoli, with Odegaard scoring the lone goal in the 75th minute. At the Allianz Arena, they stayed calm when things were going against them. A patient build-up saw Declan Rice turn clutch for them in a big UCL night with an 82nd-minute strike. It was Rice who passed to Madueke, who let it towards Viktor Gyokeres with Rice arriving in the box. He received the ball from the striker to put it past Neuer to help Arsenal earn a 2-2 draw.

At the end, it looked like a fair result given how both teams played and adapted to various phases. Bayern are used to holding possession, but here they let Arsenal dictate with 57% at the final whistle. Arsenal, who rely on defensive solidity, were ready to take risks against Kompany’s attacking side and focused more on creating chances than just holding the ball and waiting for their chance.