Match Report Aachen

FCBayernNews · News fetcher Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 1330 votes: 2

23.09.2006

Graft rather than champagne football saw the champions mark the Oktoberfest with a hard-fought victory over lively Alemannia Aachen.

A 69,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw a cagey opening followed by an explosive couple of minutes at the end of the first half.

Aachen midfielder Sascha Dum handed the promoted visitors a shock 38th minute lead with a deflected free-kick, only for Claudio Pizarro to head his side level 120 seconds later.

Mark van Bommel fired Bayern in front for the first time early in the second half and Bayern threatened to run riot for a time, but the Reds inexplicably took their collective foot off the gas.

Aachen even came within an ace of an equaliser, but the Bavarians will ultimately be happy enough with the three points which take them to the top of the standings for the first time this term, albeit only on goals scored from Schalke and with previous leaders Nuremberg playing tomorrow.

Ottl in for Owen

One of boss Felix Magath's two changes to the side defeated in Bielefeld last week was enforced, Andreas Ottl getting the nod over Martin Demichelis to fill the breach left by broken leg victim Owen Hargreaves' absence.

The other switch saw a resurgent Roy Makaay reclaim his starting place at Lukas Podolski's expense, a change the coach had heavily flagged during the week.

The promoted visitors opened brightly enough, but Bayern had established control by the quarter-hour mark.

Dum's shock opener

Makaay was inches away from connecting with a long punt, before Lucio's goalbound header was hacked off the line by Dutch defender Jeffrey Leiwakabessy midway through the half.

Pizarro had the ball in the net on 23 minutes, but first-time Bundesliga referee Markus Schmidt had spotted an infringement by Daniel van Buyten and ruled out the Peru man's effort.

Romanian playmaker Laurentiu Reghecampf sparked the visitors back into life with a free-kick headed into Oliver Kahn's arms by Marius Ebbers, but the Bayern keeper was powerless to prevent Dum's 38th minute drive finding the net after wicked deflections off both Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lucio.

Claudio and Mark's double whammy

Pizarro rose to nod home Schweinsteiger's corner just two minutes later and the half ended in a flurry of yellow cards as the on-field temperature reached boiling point.

The champions emerged for the second period in belligerent mood and Philipp Lahm blasted a swerving drive against the upright with Aachen keeper Kristian Nicht beaten all ends up.

The Reds' reward was not long in the coming as Van Bommel strode onto Lahm's crossfield pass before unleashing a precise drive from the edge of the D and past Nicht's groping dive.

Olli in form

Pizarro hit the side netting and Roque Santa Cruz drove across the face of goal as the home side sought to increase their advantage, but after Demichelis and Ali Karimi had replaced the more creative influences of Schweinsteiger and Santa Cruz, the visitors made a real fist of it.

Kahn's stunning reaction save denied Ebbers on 72 minutes, but the Reds were grateful to the match official for a very tight offside decision in their favour after sub Emil Noll nodded home from close range.

Ultimately it was a day when the result counted for more than the manner in which it was achieved as Bayern head for Milan on Wednesday heartened by a return to winning ways.

Live match report for fcbayern.de by Chris Hamley