The game was played at a frantic pace throughout, and we were good value for our lead when Eberechi Eze – an early replacement for Bukayo Saka – tucked home in the box from Martin Odegaard’s measured pass on 25 minutes.

Ten minutes later the hosts struck back through Alphonso Davies, who slid his shot past David Raya on the break.

There was plenty of action in both penalty areas, but it was the hosts who went ahead in the second half when Hary Kane converted a penalty following Jurrien Timber’s handball. 

But we would not be denied, and Rice cracked home a low drive after bursting into the box to extend our unbeaten run in the competition to 15 league phase matches, including the whole of last season. 

SAKA SUFFERS EARLY INJURY

Kicking off in a raucous atmosphere inside the Allianz Arena, we began to pass the ball around well in the opening stages. We worked the ball into the penalty area a couple of times in the opening five minutes. Our first chance came when Kai Havertz pulled the ball back for Saka in a dangerous position, but he was crowded out by the Bayern defence.

That proved to be Saka’s final involvement, as he was forced off with a non-contact injury after just nine minutes.

Eze replaced him and some of our early momentum was lost. 

We soon started to rebuild and 20 minutes in Riccardo Calafiori had a great chance at the far post. Odegaard’s corner found the Italian unmarked, but he blazed his shot over. 

Bayern immediately went down the other end and outnumbered us on the counter-attack but Serge Gnabry, who played 18 times for us more than 10 years ago, saw his low shot easily saved by Raya.

INCH-PERFECT EZE

Midway through the half we took the lead. Eze timed his run well, got in behind the defence and finished well with his left foot into the bottom corner. The assistant referee had originally allowed play to go on, but then flagged for offside once the ball was in the net. It was checked by VAR though, and allowed to stand. 

The chance was created by a wonderful pass over the top from Odegaard from inside his own half, and Eze kept his composure superbly to find the corner.

ATTACKS ON TOP

Our lead lasted 10 minutes. A searching pass from Kane sliced our defence apart and set Davies free on the left. The Canadian ran onto the ball and tucked it past the onrushing Raya for the equaliser.

The Allianz Arena found its voice again. 

The game had opened up now, and both teams were looking dangerous in attack. Konsa slid in well to block a Kane shot when the England man had a clear sight of goal, while at the other end Calafiori couldn’t quite get enough contact on the ball from close range when a deep corner evaded everyone.

Chances were there for both sides, and Gnabry again found space on the right before seeing his shot was headed behind by Gabriel.

ENTERTAINMENT CONTINUES

The chances continued to come in the second half. Declan Rice sent a perfect corner to the far post where Bruno Guimaraes got his head to it, but Manuel Neuer clawed it out from on the line, and the loose ball was hacked to safety.

For Bayern, Ismeal Saibiri screwed his shot wide when losing his markers, but his blushes were saved by the offside flag.

Raya then came to our rescue when making a point blank save from Dayot Upamecano’s downward header.

The pace of the game was not dropping. Eze was found by Kai Havertz in the box, and his driving run to the near post was only cut out at the last minute by the German rearguard.

You couldn’t take your eyes off the action for a moment.

PAYING THE PENALTY

Just after the hour mark Bayern went ahead. They flooded our penalty area and when the ball was cut back to Kane in a central position, his goalbound shot struck Jurrien Timber’s hand. The referee had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick, and Kane himself fired home.

The Germans were beginning to show why they had lost just one of their previous 31 home matches in the Champions League.

We kept giving as good as we got. Eze won a freekick of the edge of the area, and Odegaard’s delivery resulted in a scramble, before Havertz’s shot was cleared off the line.

RICE DELIVERS

As the game entered the final ten minutes we drew level following an excellent team move. We pressed and probed to open the space, before Viktor Gyokeres laid the ball off to Rice, to drive into the area. The England man then fired in a low drive into the far corner, to send the visiting Arsenal fans into raptures.

A wonderfully constructed goal from start to finish.

Timber came close to winning it late on, but his swerving shot was tipped over.

A draw was a fair result though, from an absorbing contest in Germany. 

WHAT'S NEXT

We head back to London for Premier League action, taking on Everton at Emirates Stadium on Saturday at 3pm (UK time). Our next Champions League match is away to Slavia Prague on November 4.