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Bayern Munich 1-0 Maccabi Haifa: Bavarians Retain Qualification Hopes
The German giants have kept alive their hopes of progressing in this season's Champions League as Juventus were defeated 2-0 by Bordeaux in France in the other match in Group A.
26-Nov-2009 3:13:00 AM
Bayern Munich completed their double over Maccabi Haifa in Group A as they defeated them 1-0 at the Allianz Arena, thanks to a 62nd minute goal from Ivica Olic.
The win was enough to keep alive the former European champions' hopes of qualification to the knockout stages as Italian giants Juventus suffered a 2-0 defeat to eventual group winners Bordeaux.
Franck Ribery, Breno and Luca Toni all were omitted from the squad because of injuries and coach Louis van Gaal commenced with strikers Mario Gomez and Ivica Olic upfront.
The Israeli side too were without some of their important players and started in a 4-4-2 formation with Yaniv Katan and Vladimir Dvalishvili as the front two.
The Bavarians could have scored in the very second minute of the game when Thomas Mueller ran into free space on the right and crafted in a low cross for Gomez but the ball was cleared away for a corner.
Three minutes later Danijel Pranjic dribbled into the Maccabi penalty area but he was dispossessed. Then in the ninth minute Schweinsteiger chipped the ball over the backline in search of Gomez but Maccabi goalkeeper Nir Davidovich easily caught the ball.
It was all Bayern in the opening minutes but for all their possession and domination of territory, they were frustrated in the last line of attack and the crosses too were poor.
But in the 13th minute the visitors could have taken an unlikely lead much against the run of play had Pranjic not blocked a shot and deflected it onto the roof of the Bayern net.
Three minutes later the Israeli side carved out another decent opportunity when Ali Ottman was played through and delivered a cross but it was cleared only as far as Katan, whose shot, though, was blocked.
Then in the 17th minute Bayern midfielder Mark van Bommel was played on the right and the Dutchman's cross was fired towards the far post by Gomez; but it went just inches wide. That was the best chance for either side in the match until then.
Six minutes before the half hour mark the German international striker again found himself with a glorious chance to break the deadlock. He ran into free space and fired a low drive towards the left post but Davidovich made a finger-tip save.
Then on the hour mark Bayern had another chance and this time it fell to Holger Badstuber. Olic won a tackle on the edge of the Maccabi penalty box and picked out Badstuber but the 20-year-old couldn't keep his shot on target.
Three minutes later Schweinsteiger sent through Olic, who outran Masilela to get to the ball first, but his left-footed shot hit Davidovitch's face.
The Croat could have put his side ahead a minute into injury time of the half. Badstuber curled in a free kick that drew Davidovitch off his line, leaving Olic for a free header. But the 30-year-old's header went inches over the bar.
Maccabi Haifa started the second half with a better sense of purpose and control and created a great chance for themselves on 50 minutes. Mohammad Ghadir gave a cross to Katan, who then looped his half-volley, but it went over the bar.
A minute later Schweinsteiger hit the top of the crossbar with a free kick from the left side.The home side then started to dominate proceedings as Van Bommel and Pranjic combined but without any fruitful result.
Two minutes after the hour mark Bayern eventually scored. Van Bommel picked out Mario Gomez with a long ball and the German striker's shot was parried away by Davidovitch. But it fell kindly to Olic, who made no mistake from the rebound to make it 1-0 to Bayern.
The goal was nothing more than the hosts deserved. They had been by far the better side in the game and news that Bordeaux had gone 1-0 up against Juventus in France made the scoreline even better.
Maccabi, though, were not out of the match yet. On 68 minutes they came close to restoring parity with a Katan free kick but it went just over the Bayern crossbar.
Bayern boss Louis van Gaal, though, decided to tighten up as Andreas Ottl came on for Pranjic and Mueller moved to the left flank.
The Germans could have doubled their lead on 77 minutes when Schweinsteiger took a free kick from 30 yards out but Davidovitch pulled off a good save.
Van Gaal's side then had two quick chances to put the result beyond doubt. First Mueller's piledriver from 30 yards went just inches wide of the right post and then Bommel came close from a similar range.
But it didn't matter in the end as Bayern won the match 1-0, which when combined with Bordeaux's victory over Juventus implies that the game between Bayern and Juve on Matchday 6 would be decisive.
Subhankar Mondal, Goal.com
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