Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Bayern Munich - 7M sport

Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Bayern Munich

Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Bayern Munich


Posted Thursday, December 10, 2015 by Goal.com

Dinamo Zagreb 0-2 Bayern Munich

With group stage finishing positions already settled for both sides, Pep Guardiola's second-string team were forced to be patient during their trip to Croatia

Bayern Munich ground out a 2-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League at Stadion Maksimir on Wednesday, with Robert Lewandowski netting twice in the second period.

El Arbi Hillel Soudani missed a big opportunity after being put through one-one-one with Sven Ulreich early on before the Algeria attacker headed wide of the target on the stroke of half-time.

The arrival of Thomas Muller after the interval changes the pattern of the match, with Bayern's second string line-up more dynamic in the final third.

Muller set up Lewandowski to head in the opener on 61 minutes with a whipped cross from the right wing before the prolific Pole chipped in his second just three minutes later.

Arturo Vidal was brought down inside the area with two minutes to play but Muller's spot-kick struck the foot of the upright and rebounded away from goal.

Pep Guardiola's side were already assured of top spot in the pool, but Lewandowski's clinical double - taking him to seven Champions League goals for the campaign - made it 15 points from their six games.

Bayern should have taken the lead as early as the fourth minute when Medhi Benatia climbed highest to meet a Xabi Alonso corner only to wastefully glance his header wide.

To their credit, Zagreb responded swiftly to that early let-off, with the rested Manuel Neuer's deputy, Ulreich, called upon to deny Domagoj Antolic and Josip Pivaric in quick succession.

As the lively opening continued, Franck Ribery and Lewandowski both went close to putting the visitors in front, Eduardo producing two fine saves to keep them at bay.

The home side's attacking forays became less frequent as the half wore on, although Ulreich did have to react sharply to block a shot from Soudani after the forward was played in by skipper Antolic after 25 minutes.

Alonso and Sebastian Rode were next to threaten for Guardiola's team, but for all their attacking fluency, Bayern continued to look vulnerable at the back and were fortunate not to be punished on the stroke of half-time when Soudani headed over after Ulreich had failed to gather a free-kick.

Guardiola brought on both Muller and Jerome Boateng at half-time, and the former made an immediate impact as he flicked an Alonso corner inches wide of the post and drew a sprawling save from Eduardo shortly after.

A superb reflex block from Ulreich at the other end then prevented Junior Fernandes from firing the Croatians into an unlikely lead before Bayern finally made their pressure count in the 61st minute.

Muller provided the cross from the right and Lewandowski got in front of his marker to glance a diving header into the bottom corner.

And three minutes later the Bavarians make the game safe, Rode bisecting the Zagreb defence with a superb throughball and Lewandowski cleverly lifting the ball over the advancing Eduardo.

Pivaric struck the woodwork late on - and there was even still time for Muller to strike the post with a penalty - but a comeback never looked likely as Guardiola claimed his 100th win in 132 games in charge of Bayern.



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