Manchester City Women draw Bayern Munich in controversial Champions League opener amid flare incident

Mary Fowler's Manchester City have started their Women's Champions League campaign with a controversial draw against Bayern Munich, scoring a crucial goal with a flare burning among the players.

The reigning English champions came back from 2-0 down to equalise after Fowler's injection in the 63rd minute.

But it was City's first goal from Beth Mead that had Bayern players fuming.

In the final seconds of the first half, Kerstin Casparij broke down the right wing and was pursued by Franziska Kett towards the edge of the 18-yard box, where a flare was sending purple smoke billowing.

Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic waved her arms in an apparent attempt to get the attention of officials as the play unfolded, but Casparij seemed unfazed by the nearby flare as she outpaced Kett and whipped a cross into the box, where Bunny Shaw's shot was blocked, and Mead cleaned up the scraps to make it 2-1 heading into the break.

As City celebrated, Mahmutovic and Kett started to complain before their teammates joined in, with referee Olatz Rivera Olmedo immediately removing the projectile from the pitch.

Discussions continued as the ball returned to halfway for the kick-off before VAR confirmed the goal would stand, giving City crucial momentum heading into half-time, leading to an improved second-half performance and ultimately an 86th-minute equaliser by Carlotta Wamser.

Elsewhere on the first matchday of the tournament, Arsenal's trio of Australians — Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord — all started as the 2025 winners began the quest to regain their continental crown against Danish part-timers HB Køge.

The Gunners won 1-0, but needed an injury-time penalty from Mariona Caldentay that bank worker Alberte Vingum almost saved.

"It was a pretty crazy last five minutes, but that's football," Catley said.

"They defended great; we tried so many avenues to goal.

"Credit to the girls, they kept trying, and Mariona was very calm in that moment."

And in Monza, veteran Matildas defender Aiva Luik played the 90 minutes as Hacken went down 1-0 to Internazionale, becoming the oldest group stage/league phase player at 41, according to UEFA.

Capped 45 times by Australia, Luik is at her 16th club in her 10th country during her 26-year career.

"I still feel young. The secret is coffee and chocolate," she said.

Inter, making its competition debut, scored in the fifth minute through Haley Bugej from a corner but couldn't find a second, with the Swedes more dangerous on the break.