Bayer Leverkusen’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich took a turn when goalkeeper Matej Kovar, formerly of Manchester United, made a critical error.
In the 55th minute, Kovar mishandled a straightforward cross from Joshua Kimmich, allowing Jamal Musiala to score easily.
Despite not playing for Manchester United’s first team, Kovar had a significant presence in their under-21 squad, appearing 53 times.
Prior to Kovar’s blunder, the score was 1-0. Kimmich’s cross, intended to be an easy catch for the Czech goalkeeper, turned into a gift for Bayern.
Musiala, positioned close to Kovar, quickly took advantage of the fumble, scoring his third Champions League goal this season.
Leverkusen’s coach Xabi Alonso’s disappointment was evident on the sidelines.
Before joining Leverkusen permanently in 2023, Kovar’s career included loan spells at Swindon Town, Burton Albion, and Sparta Prague during his time with Manchester United.
Leverkusen’s troubles deepened when Mukiele received a second yellow card in the 62nd minute for a foul against Kingsley Coman.
Harry Kane also had a noteworthy game, scoring twice against a match officiated by referee Michael Oliver. These goals marked his 53rd and 54th in the competition.
Kane’s first goal came early in the ninth minute with a header from a cross by Michael Olise.
Kane later converted a penalty in the 71st minute, sealing Bayern’s 3-0 victory. This season marks the seventh time Kane has surpassed 30 goals in a club season since 2014-15.
Only Robert Lewandowski has achieved more 30-goal seasons in Europe’s top five leagues with nine.
Michael Olise was impactful in the match, consistently challenging Leverkusen’s defense.
Referee Oliver faced scrutiny early in the game when Bayern players appealed for a penalty after a free-kick struck Mukiele’s arm in the box, but VAR confirmed no penalty.
Another controversial moment involved Kane escaping a red card for a kick-out at Granit Xhaka following a shove, with only intervention from teammates and the referee preventing further escalation. Neither player was booked for the incident.
Oliver’s performance in this match follows recent criticism, including a controversial decision in a previous game where he initially didn’t penalize a Millwall player for a kung-fu kick, requiring VAR intervention to issue a red card.
In another Champions League match, Barcelona, despite playing with 10 men, defeated Benfica 1-0 in Lisbon. Raphinha scored the only goal, while Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi was sent off in the first half, becoming the second youngest player to be sent off in Champions League history.
