Bayern Fight Back to Beat Sporting and Secure Champions League Playoff Spot

Bayern Munich took another confident step toward the Champions League Round of 16, earning their fifth win of the group stage with a 3–1 comeback victory over Sporting CP on Tuesday night at the Allianz Arena.
The Portuguese side arrived in Munich with a clear plan: defend deep, strike on the counter and hope for any positive result. Their disciplined approach produced few chances, yet — as football often reminds us — it was the visitors who scored first. In the 54th minute, a low cross from the left caused chaos, and Joshua Kimmich, attempting to intercept, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
Bayern had dominated possession both before and after the opener, but struggled to break down Sporting’s defensive block. The breakthrough finally came thanks to a lapse in concentration from the visitors. In the 65th minute, Bayern won a corner, and somehow Serge Gnabry was left completely unmarked at the far post — 1–1.
Just four minutes later, the comeback was complete. Young sensation Karl made a perfectly timed run into the box and smashed a brilliant shot under the crossbar — his third goal in just four Champions League appearances. Sporting had no answer, and Bayern struck again in the 77th minute. After a set-piece routine, Gnabry headed the ball back across goal for Jonathan Tah to fire in the third — 3–1.
2025-26 UEFA Champions League
Bayern - Sporting CP 3:1 (0:0)
Goals: Kimmich, 54 (own goal) (0:1); Gnabry, 65 (1:1); Karl, 69 (2:1); Tah J., 77 (3:1)
Bayern: Neuer; Upamecano; Tah J.; Stanisic (Ito H., 88); Kimmich; Gnabry (Davies, 88); Olise; Laimer; Pavlovic Al. (Goretzka, 88); Karl (Guerreiro, 77); Kane (Jackson N., 92)
Substitution: Guerreiro (from 77); Ito H. (from 88); Goretzka (from 88); Davies (from 88); Jackson N. (from 92)
Bench: Ulreich; Urbig; Kim Min-jae; Bischof T.; Wisdom
Yellow Cards: Kimmich 71; Laimer 94
Sporting CP: Rui Silva; Fresneda; Diomande O.; Quaresma E. (Vagiannidis, 80); Reis M.; Hjulmand; Simões (Morita, 92); Catamo (Ioannidis F., 80); Araújo M. (Blopa S., 91); Santos A. (Mangas, 66); Suárez L.J.
Substitution: Mangas (from 66); Vagiannidis (from 80); Ioannidis F. (from 80); Blopa S. (from 91); Morita (from 92)
Bench: Virgínia; Calai Diego; Inacio; Felicíssimo; Kochorashvili; Ribeiro R.
Yellow Cards: Hjulmand 71
