Austria’s serial champions led 1-0 in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League against FC Bayern after a goal by Junior Adamu (21st) before Kingsley Coman equalized in the 90th minute. The “Bulls” missed the first European Cup victory of a home club over the German record champions since Rapid 1967.
In the first game of an Austrian team in the knockout phase of the “premier class”, Salzburg also failed to end a record series – Bayern have now gone 22 Champions League away games without defeat. After all, the “Bulls” survived all 16 home games under coach Matthias Jaissle unbeaten. Thanks to the Coman goal, his Bayern colleague Julian Nagelsmann can breathe a sigh of relief after the surprising 2: 4 on Saturday in Bochum caused irritation.
In front of 29,520 spectators, both teams tried to find their way forward, the first shots on goal were scored by the guests. Salzburg goalie Philipp Köhn dived in time from a shot by Serge Gnabry (10′) and was also there when Coman headed the ball (19′).
Salzburg were more efficient. In their first truly compelling attack, Mohamed Camara sent off fellow Karim Adeyemi. Brenden Aaronson extended the DFB team player’s pass to Adamu, who defeated Manuel Neuer’s substitute Sven Ulreich with a well-considered shot. Adamu came on just nine minutes earlier for Noah Okafor, who was eliminated with a muscle injury.
Aaronson almost made it 2-0 in the 24th minute, but Ulreich prevented things from getting worse. As a result, it was Bayern’s turn again – Leroy Sane missed from a good position (30′), a header from Coman was captured by Köhn (40′). At the other end, Adeyemi found his champion in Ulreich (44′), and Salzburg’s young star unsuccessfully called for a penalty after a duel with Benjamin Pavard (45′).
Soon after the change of sides, Seiwald tried from a distance, but Ulreich was on the post (49′). After that only Bayern played, Salzburg delivered a passionate defensive battle. Köhn was always the center of attention, for example in the 73rd minute when he fished a Coman attempt out of the near corner and in the 75th minute when he saved against Sane.
Salzburg almost made the preliminary decision in the 80th minute. After a counterattack, Ulreich had to clear Adeyemi with a foot defense, and Pavard cleared Adamu’s follow-up shot just before the line. Shortly thereafter, ex-Salzburg professional Marcel Sabitzer came on as a substitute for Bayern, and Bayern still managed to get the – deserved – equalizer. After a wide ball into the penalty area, Coman got the ball and overcame Köhn with a shot into the near corner.
Suddenly, the packed stadium went quiet, with most fans not wearing FFP2 masks. Also on the VIP grandstand, which is extremely well-staffed – UEFA boss Aleksandar Ceferin, DFB team boss Hansi Flick, DFB manager Oliver Bierhoff, Bayern board member Oliver Kahn, the former Munich bosses Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß as well as ÖFB President Gerhard Milletich were guests, among other things – a very casual approach to the mask requirement was maintained.
Source: Nachrichten
