Manchester United and Bayern Munich secured commanding victories to open their respective UEFA Champions League campaigns, though their paths to three points differed sharply according to reports from European sports media. While Manchester United cruised past Sabah Baku with a four-goal display at Old Trafford, Bayern Munich required a second-half surge against Bodö/Glimt after the Norwegian side lost its starting goalkeeper to injury.
The opening night of Europe’s premier club competition brought stark contrasts across the continent. Bayern Munich eventually broke down Bodö/Glimt’s stubborn defense with five unanswered goals after the break, while Manchester United celebrated its milestone 300th match in the tournament with a comfortable 4–0 win. Elsewhere, Italian newcomer Como stunned RB Leipzig 4–1, and PSV Eindhoven drew 1–1 with Shakhtar Donetsk.
Bayern’s breakthrough against Bodö/Glimt arrived only after a dramatic shift in goal late in the first half. According to match reports, the Norwegian club’s Russian goalkeeper, Nikita Khaykin, had frustrated the German giants early on—including a long-range effort from Joshua Kimmich that rattled the goalpost. However, Khaykin suffered an injury in the closing minutes of the first period.
That forced a substitution at halftime, bringing on backup goalkeeper Lund, who had not played a competitive match since March. The disruption proved costly for the visitors almost immediately. Just 90 seconds into the second half, Jamal Musiala—returning to the starting lineup after a summer health collapse—slotted home the opening goal. The strike marked Bayern’s 900th goal in the history of the Champions League, placing them second only to Real Madrid in the competition’s all-time scoring charts.
Bodö/Glimt’s resistance completely dissolved thereafter. Harry Kane extended the lead past the hour mark by heading in a free-kick, recording a goal in his eighth Champions League match. Alphonso Davies added a third before French winger Michael Olise rounded off the 5–0 rout with a late brace, scoring in the 83rd minute and again during stoppage time. Bodö/Glimt’s night ended on a further sour note when Jostein Gundersen Bjørtuft received a red card in the 87th minute.
Meanwhile, at Old Trafford, Manchester United made light work of Azerbaijani newcomer Sabah Baku. The visitors, who had advanced through the first qualifying round, offered stubborn resistance for the opening 27 minutes before Matheus Cunha broke the deadlock with United’s eighth shot of the night. Captain Bruno Fernandes and forward Benjamin Šeško added goals before halftime to establish a commanding 3–0 cushion.
Lisandro Martínez added a fourth after the interval, sealing a dominant result that marked United’s 300th appearance in the Champions League. The victory sets up Sabah Baku for their next fixture, where they are scheduled to travel to face Slavia Prague on October 13.
In other matches across the continent, tournament debutants Como marked their return to the spotlight by dismantling RB Leipzig 4–1 at their newly renovated stadium. Croatian midfielder Martin Baturina opened the scoring after 15 minutes, before Anastasios Douvikas doubled the advantage before halftime. Striker Aliou Diao and midfielder Nico Perrone added further goals in the second half, rendering Strahinja Maksimovič’s strike for Leipzig merely a consolation.
PSV Eindhoven endured a frustrating night against Shakhtar Donetsk, settling for a 1–1 draw in a match that featured controversy just before the break. Right-back Sergiño Dest remained down on the turf following a heavy collision during stoppage time of the first half, prompting home players to expect a stoppage in play. Instead, Kevin Kelsy Mendoza continued forward and fired past Czech goalkeeper Matěj Kovář from a tight angle to give Shakhtar the lead.
Dest atoned for the setback immediately after the restart, leveling the score in the 48th minute with his first Champions League goal since scoring for Barcelona six years prior. Despite heavy pressure, the Dutch champions could not find a winning goal.
In Istanbul, Fenerbahce marked their return to the elite stage after an 18-year absence by drawing 1–1 with AS Roma. Captain Bryan Cristante put the visitors ahead in the 39th minute before Jayden Oosterwolde—playing on the left wing—equalized three minutes into the second half. Roma survived a late VAR review that overturned a potential penalty, while Manchester City loanee Nathan Aké struck the crossbar with a header as Fenerbahce pressed for a late winner.
