Bayern back with a bang

Posted Wednesday, September 15, 2010 by PA

Last year's beaten finalists Bayern Munich got off to a winning start in the Champions League with a 2-0 success over Roma.

Thomas Muller and Miroslav Klose netted the goals towards the end of what was a frustrating night for Bayern, who spent the entire game trying to break down a catenaccio-inspired Serie A side and almost failed to do so.

Roma set their stall out to defend and, apart from two chances, they rarely threatened the Bayern goal.

Bayern dominated the possession stakes from start to finish, but just could not find a way through until the final 10 minutes.

Roma defended with 11 men behind the ball and then entrusted Marco Borriello and Francesco Totti with very rare attacks.

Yet it was a deflected shot from Borriello at the near post which caused the biggest danger of the first half, with Hans-Jorg Butt almost caught off guard only to recover and push the ball wide.

Bayern were even more insistent in the second half with Toni Kroos sending in their first shot on target in the 55th minute. Julio Sergio did well to tip his effort over the crossbar.

The home side enjoyed a prolonged spell of pressure and Muller should have put them ahead in the 56th minute when he pounced on a lucky deflection, but Julio Sergio pushed his shot away instinctively with his left arm.

Kroos had the next chance in the 63rd minute as he dribbled his way into the area but had his shot saved and then Klose's header was tipped onto the outside of the post by the impressive Roma goalkeeper.

Just as it was looking like Julio Sergio was going to earn his side a point, he was beaten by a touch of class from Muller.

The Germany international did not hesitate when the ball came to him in the right-hand side of the penalty area and he curled his shot with the outside of the boot into the far corner of Julio Sergio's goal.

Borriello had a great chance to equalise a minute later when he beat the offside trap but not Butt, who had scampered from his line to narrow the angle.

Klose then sealed Bayern's win in the 83rd minute with his first goal of the season, at least at club level.

He lunged at Holger Badstuber's free-kick and got his studs to the ball to divert it past Julio Sergio and give last year's Champions League finalists the perfect start to this year's competition.