Tah Seals Bayern's Champions League Comeback Against Sporting
Puntos Clave
- Bayern Munich secured a thrilling 3-1 victory over Sporting CP
- Jonathan Tah's 77th-minute header completed remarkable second-half turnaround at Allianz
- Serge Gnabry and Lennart Karl struck within four minutes after interval
- Third-placed Bayern strengthened Champions League position with dominant home performance
Munich, Germany- Jonathan Tah powered home a decisive header in the 77th minute to complete Bayern Munich's stunning second-half comeback, as the third-placed Bavarians secured a crucial 3-1 victory over eighth-placed Sporting CP at the Allianz Arena. The German defender's clinical finish from Serge Gnabry's headed assist capped a remarkable 13-minute blitz that transformed the Champions League encounter after Joshua Kimmich's unfortunate own goal had stunned the home crowd.
Bayern's revival began in spectacular fashion when Gnabry rifled home from the left side of the six-yard box in the 65th minute, converting Michael Olise's pinpoint cross following a corner to level the contest. Just four minutes later, Lennart Karl doubled the advantage with a composed right-footed finish from the centre of the box, expertly converting Konrad Laimer's dangerous cross to send the Allianz Arena into raptures. Tah's towering header then sealed the points, the centre-back rising majestically to nod Gnabry's assist into the bottom right corner after another set-piece situation.
The tactical battle shifted dramatically after the interval, with Bayern's relentless pressing finally overwhelming Sporting's disciplined defensive structure. Aleksandar Pavlovic and Joshua Kimmich controlled the midfield exchanges, while Dayot Upamecano and Tah dominated aerial duels against Luis Suárez and the visiting forwards. Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva produced several crucial saves, notably denying Kimmich and Karl in the 60th minute, but couldn't prevent the inevitable avalanche.
Bayern's statistical dominance told the story of their superiority, controlling 61.7% of possession while registering nine shots on target compared to Sporting's solitary effort. The hosts earned 11 corners to their opponents' three, with Vincent Kompany's men converting their territorial advantage into clinical finishing when it mattered most. Despite managing just four shots on target, Sporting's defensive resilience kept them level until the decisive second-half collapse.
The turning point arrived with Gnabry's equalizer, which sparked a complete transformation in Bayern's attacking intensity and crowd atmosphere. The German winger's predatory instincts in the box ignited a period of sustained pressure that Sporting simply couldn't withstand, with Karl and Tah capitalizing on the visitors' defensive fatigue.
Bayern Munich travel to face Atlético Madrid on December 10 in a crucial Champions League fixture that could determine their knockout stage seeding. Sporting CP return to domestic action when they host AVS on December 13, needing to regroup quickly after this setback to their European ambitions.