Man City, Bayern draw in season opener

UNINSPIRING GUNNERS: Arsenal, the UEFA Women’s Champions League winners two seasons ago, made a faltering start to their bid to reclaim the continent’s top trophy

Manchester City on Tuesday fought from two goals down to grab a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich to start their UEFA Women’s Champions League season, while Mariona Caldentey was the hero as Arsenal left it late in their opener.

Bayern raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to Giulia Gwinn’s early strike, and a Kerstin Casparij own goal inside the first 30 minutes.

Beth Mead halved the deficit for the Women’s Super League champions on the stroke of half-time.

Bayern Munich’s Giulia Gwinn, right, collides with Manchester City’s Beth Mead, center, and Lauren Hemp during their UEFA Women’s Champions League opening match in Munich, Germany, on Tuesday.

Photo: AP

City looked set to begin the league phase with a loss, as Khadija Shaw was denied from the spot by Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic in the second period.

However, German forward Carlotta Wamser popped up with four minutes remaining to ensure the spoils were shared in Bavaria.

“It was a game of two halves, I think. [The first half] was probably not good enough for our standards,” Mead told UEFA. “But again, we showed what the team is about, showed our character.”

Arsenal’s Kim Little, front, and HB Koge’s Nadia Nadim vie for the ball during their UEFA Women’s Champions League league phase match in Borehamwood, England, on Tuesday.

Photo: AFP

Arsenal, the 2024-2025 season’s Champions League winners, made a faltering start to their bid to recover the continent’s premier club title.

Renee Slegers’s side needed an injury-time penalty from Spain international Caldentey to nab a 1-0 win at home to Danes HB Koge.

The Gunners looked certain to be heading for a goalless stalemate until new signing Selina Cerci went down in the box under Yukina Sakabe’s 92nd-minute challenge.

A Sakina Karchaoui penalty inside the final 20 minutes ensured Paris Saint-Germain left the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano with a 1-1 draw after Felicia Schroeder’s second-minute opener for Real Madrid.

Inter got the better of Swedish side Hacken 1-0 — Haley Bugeja’s fifth-minute goal was enough to give the home side three points.

A brace either side of half-time by Marit Bratberg Lund gave Benfica a 2-1 win at Juventus, despite the hosts scoring late through Alba Redondo.

Defending champions Barcelona were to begin Champions League life in the post-Alexia Putellas era last night after press time when they hosted Paris FC.