Plus: Real Madrid cruised to a 3-0 win over Braga in Group C, while Napoli and Union Berlin drew 1-1; Inter edged out RB Salzburg 1-0 and Real Sociedad beat Benfica 3-1 in Group D; in Group B, PSV Eindhoven overcame 10-player Lens 1-0
Thursday 9 November 2023 06:13, UK
Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Real Sociedad all booked their places in the knockout stages of the Champions League with two games to spare on a dramatic night of European action.
Bayern made it four wins out of four in Group A but only after a frantic finish in their 2-1 win over Galatasaray.
The visitors had the ball in the net just after the hour but Lucas Torreira was offside, and Bayern took the lead when Harry Kane flicked in Joshua Kimmich's free-kick with 10 minutes to go, with the goal awarded following a VAR check after initially being ruled offside.
Kane then doubled the lead with his 25th career Champions League goal, turning in Mathys Tel's cross in the 86th minute, and they needed the cushion as Cedric Bakambu scored for Galatasaray in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid cruised through with a 3-0 win over Braga. They overcame an early scare when Alvaro Djalo missed a penalty for the visitors after Lucas Vazquez fouled Cristian Borja just four minutes in, but once Brahim Diaz put them in front in the 27th minute there was no looking back.
Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo added to the scoreline with two goals in five minutes early in the second half, and there was no way back for the visitors.
The other Group C game between Napoli and Union Berlin ended 1-1 as David Fofana's first Union goal - and the club's first away from home in the Champions League - cancelled out Matteo Politano's opener.
Inter edged out RB Salzburg 1-0 in Austria to secure their progress, with the game decided by Lautaro Martinez's 84th-minute penalty after Mads Bidstrup handled in the area.
And that result also saw Real Sociedad go through from Group D after their 3-1 win over Benfica earlier in the evening.
Early goals from Mikel Merino and Mikel Oyarzabal had Sociedad in control after just 11 minutes and it was 3-0 10 minutes later as Ander Barrenetxea fired into the roof of the net.
Brais Mendez hit the post with a penalty just before the half hour and Rafa Silva pulled one back for Benfica early in the second half, but Sociedad comfortably took the points.
And in Group B, Luuk de Jong's 12th-minute header was enough to hand PSV Eindhoven a 1-0 win over Lens, who had substitute Morgan Guilavogui sent off late on.
