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Uefa Cup German Wrap: Bayern Held To Narrow Win, Leverkusen Cruise
Bayern Munich had to be content with a narrow 1-0 home win against Belenenses, after the Portuguese side frustrated the Bavarians at the Allianz Arena.
zoom - galleria Bayern Munich 1 Belenenses 0
A 1-0 victory was not the optimal result for Bayern, who have made their task in two weeks time all the more difficult. A single goal in the first half from Luca Toni was the only reward for Bayern's attacking intentions.
Bayern started with the frontline pairing of Luca Toni and Lukas Podolski with Klose suspended. The game was the young German striker's first start for Bayern this season. The home side were by far the more aggressive and inventive of the two sides, but were denied at every turn by a dogged Belenenses defence.
Toni had two good chances within the first five minutes, but both were spurned. The game was rather hectic and Bayern were making too many mistakes. They had the ball in the back of the net on 24 minutes only for the goal to be rightly disallowed for offside.
Jansen had a great headed chance following a Schweinsteiger cross, but his effort went narrowly over. Ottmar Hitzfeld's side however deservedly took the lead on 34 minutes through the ever dangerous Luca Toni. Van Bommel played the ball through with the Portuguese defence looking for offside. The Italian had judged it perfectly, controlled the ball on his chest and fired past Costinha.
Oliver Kahn was rarely tested in the Bayern goal, although he had to be alert at the start of the second half to smother a promising Portuguese attack. As the second half proceeded, Belenenses seemed happy to drop deeper and commit fewer men forward, which frustrated Bayern.
Sandro Wagner and Jan Schlaudraff were introduced but Hitzfeld's eleven were unable to make the breathrough for the second goal.
Bayern Munich: Kahn, Lell, Jansen, Lucio, Demichelis, van Bommel, Zé Roberto, Ribéry, Podolski, Toni (Wagner), Schweinsteiger (Altintop)
Belenenses: Costinha, Candido Costa (Amaral), Rolando, Hugo Alcantara, Rodrigo Alvim, Ruben Amorim, Evandro Paulista (Fernando), Jose Pedro, Silas (Jaoa Paulo), Devic, Roncattto
Bayer Leverkusen 3 Uniao Leiria 1
In an entertaining game full of chances, Leverkusen ran out deserved winners. After going ahead, Bayer were pegged back when Leiria scored with their first chance. The German side managed to wrestle the lead back in the first half before securing the win with a third goal in the second half.
Leverkusen went on the attack right from the very start giving their visitors few chances to get into the game. Both Rolfes and Kießling had good chances early on. The deadlock was broken after 19 minutes with Rolfes turning provider. He laid the ball off with his head to Kießling, who tricked Eder Gaucho, before firing in from close range.
Two minutes later and Gekas had the chance to double the lead, but he saw his header come back off the bar. The Portuguese side then got themselves back in the game with their first attack of note when Joao Paulo fired past Rene Adler.
The Leverkusen midfield continued to control the game and Michael Skibbe’s side regained the lead on 31 minutes with Rolfes heading in a Gresko free kick.
The home side continued to press in an open game and were rewarded in the 78th minute when Kießling headed in another well flighted free kick from Gresko.
The Slovak defender then blighted his copy book getting sent off for a second yellow on 79 minutes. Leiria substitute Farias followed him for an early bath for a double caution two minutes from time.
Bayer Leverkusen: Adler, Castro, Haggui, M. Friedrich, Gresko, Vidal, Rolfes, Schneider (Barbarez), Barnetta, Kießling, Gekas (Sarpei)
Uniao Leiria: Fernando, Eder, Bruno Miguel, Eder, Laranjeiro, Lukasiewicz (Faria), Tiago, Alhandra (Sougou), Paulo Cesar, Cadu (Tonito), Joao Paulo
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