UEFA Champions League 2018-19: 3 talking points from Group E's final day matches (Bayern, Ajax, Benfica, AEK)
The Match Day 6 action in the UEFA Champions League 2018-19 season saw Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich battle it out for the top spot in Group E against Eredivisie outfit Ajax Amsterdam.
With both sides having already booked their passage into the last 16, Benfica were looking for some momentum in their European campaign against AEK Athens as they will be competing in the Europa League next year.
Let's look at the 3 major talking points from Match Day 6 of the UEFA Champions League Group E matches:
#1 Bayern Munich win Group E after drawing with Ajax in a thriller
In the final fixture of the Champions League Group Stage, German champions Bayern Munich were up against a resilient and young Ajax side. Ajax needed a win in order to top the group whereas for Bayern a draw would have been enough.
Lewandowski put Bayern ahead with a clinical 13th-minute strike before Dusan Tadic equalised just past the hour mark. Both Ajax's Maximilian Wober and Bayern's Thomas Muller were shown straight red cards as both sides were reduced to 10 men. A late second-half error from Jerome Boateng resulted in a penalty for Ajax which Tadic converted again.
However, Lewandowski levelled for Bayern again from the 12-yard spot kick after Nicolas Tagliafico fouled Thiago Alcantara in the penalty box. Kingsley Coman added a third from Bayern before a second-half stoppage time equaliser from Tagliafico meant that the Dutch side did enough to frustrate the Bavarians and hold on to a draw.
Bayern coach Kovac reflected on the match: "The referee did well, except in the case of the goal that made it 3-3. I'm not a referee but I think it was offside." "I think we were part of an amazing football game. Both teams played at a high level and played with a pressing style," he said.