Adamu nets as RB Salzburg hold Bayern Munich in Champions League

Bayern Munich escaped a demoralising defeat at the hands of RB Salzburg in their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg in Austria, as they played out a 1-1 draw against the Austrian Champions.

Salzburg were making their first-ever appearance in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. They were facing a Bayern Munich side that lost in embarrassing fashion 4-2 to VFL Bochum over the weekend in the German Bundesliga.

Despite their shock loss at the weekend, the German giants were clear favourites to pick up the win away from home. They started the match on the front foot, confidently knocking the ball around. Serge Gary forced a fine stop out of Salzburg goalkeeper Philipp Kohn inside the opening ten minutes.

Salzburg managed to stay in the game and not concede any chances. Their doggedness was rewarded in style in the 21st minute as Austrian striker Junior Chukwubuike Adamu swept home a first-time effort from the edge of the box after good build-up that involved three youngsters Mohamed Camara, Karim Adeyemi and Brenden Aaronson.

Camara sent a long ball out wide to Adeyemi, and the Germany international played a square ball into the box for Aaronson to prod into the path of Adamu, who simply curled an effort past Seven Ulreich and into the back of the net. The 20-year-old striker had only replaced the injured Noah Okafor in the 12th minute of the game.

Salzburg continued to dig deep and deny their illustrious opponents a way back into the game. A second-half counterattack almost led to a second goal for the Austrian Bundesliga Champions, but for heroic defending.

Karim Adeyemi received a wayward ball from Leroy Sane and quickly sprung forward before shooting at the Bayern Munich goal. Ulreich made the save but parried the ball back into the path of Adamu, who looked set to score his second of the night, but Benjamin Pavard somehow managed to get himself big enough to make a block on the goalline and prevent a second goal in the 81st minute.

The Austrian side would come to rue that miss as they were punished just nine minutes later. A long diagonal into the Salzburg box from Pavard was flicked on by Thomas Muller into the path of French winger Kingsley Coman, who set himself well and finished beyond the reach of Kohn in the 90th minute.

Bayern Munich remain firm favourites despite this first leg performance and result. RB Salzburg had 19-year-old Super Eagles midfielder Samson Tijani on the bench throughout the game.