KYIV, Ukraine: Robert Lewandowski scored with an overhead kick to lift an depleted Bayern Munich team to a 2-1 win over Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday that clinched first place in its Champions League group.
Needing just a point to secure the top spot in Group E and coming off a surprise loss to Augsburg in the Bundesliga, Bayern would usually consider resting top players against a team like Dynamo. That wasn’t an option.
Bayern was missing seven players — including midfielder Joshua Kimmich and forward Serge Gnabry — who are all in isolation either because they’ve tested positive for the virus, or because they’re unvaccinated and had contact with a positive case. Adding on a suspension for defender Dayot Upamecano and a muscle injury for midfielder Marcel Sabitzer left Bayern with a threadbare squad.
Coach Julian Nagelsmann had no real backups for his star players, so Lewandowski, Thomas Müller, Leroy Sané and the recently injured Kingsley Coman all started in attack. Nagelsmann named just four outfield players on the bench, all youngsters or fringe players.
Lewandowski brought the game to life after a slow start with his 14th-minute goal. The Polish striker reacted quickly when Benjamin Pavard’s pass deflected off defender Illya Zabarnyi’s leg and leaped to hit an overhead kick which was hit beyond the goalkeeper’s reach.
Only a stroke of luck kept Bayern in the lead soon after when Leon Goretzka’s attempted backpass across the snowy field bobbled up and over Manuel Neuer’s attempted kick and onto the post.
Coman scored his first Champions League goal of the season to double Bayern’s lead just before the break, shooting high into the net from a tight angle. Neuer made several saves to keep Dynamo at bay in the second half, but a gap in the Bayern defense allowed Viktor Tsygankov to set up Denys Garmash for last-place Dynamo’s first goal of the group stage. Bayern held on for the last 20 minutes to keep the three points.
Lewandowski scores as depleted Bayern beats Dynamo Kyiv
https://arab.news/68yp4
Lewandowski scores as depleted Bayern beats Dynamo Kyiv
- Bayern was missing 7 players, including midfielder Joshua Kimmich and forward Serge Gnabry, who are all in isolation
- Coach Julian Nagelsmann had no real backups for his star players
Esports World Cup 2026 tickets go on sale
- First wave of tickets includes early-bird passes, premium experiences, special travel offers ahead of 7-week competition for record-breaking $75m prize pool
RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation has officially opened ticket sales for the Esports World Cup 2026, the world’s largest esports event, which returns to Riyadh from July 6 to Aug. 23.
The first wave of ticket options for fans is now live at esportsworldcup.com and through international ticketing partners Tixr (US and EU), Webook (Middle East and Saudi Arabia), Platinumlist (Middle East and India), and Damai (China), alongside special travel packages from Saudia Holidays.
EWC 2026 will feature a record-breaking $75 million prize pool that reflects the evolution of the EWC as a premier sporting event and the anchor multi-title competition within the global esports ecosystem.
Over 2,000 players representing more than 200 clubs and over 100 countries will compete in Riyadh in the industry-leading cross-game club championship that is now a focal point of the esports calendar.
Saudia Holidays, the travel division of Saudia, the Kingdom’s national carrier, is offering an all-in-one early-bird package to experience the Esports World Cup, including return flights, hand-picked hotels near the action, and a free all-access pass for the full duration of the stay, with simple booking and no hidden fees.
Regular tournament passes and daily passes will be released in the next wave of sales.
The EWCF has officially confirmed the weekly schedule for EWC 2026, locking in seven weeks of world-class competition.
Early-bird ticket options include the Weekly All-Access Pass, which offers the best value to international visitors, with unlimited event access, fast-track access to all esports stages, festival experiences, and a limited-edition goodie bag.
The Premium Tournament Pass gives fast-track entry to every match of the selected game tournament, plus a limited-edition goodie bag.
The Esports Embassy option offers high-end hospitality in a luxurious private environment, with premium viewing lounges, curated food and beverages, and private meeting spaces.
