Grit and determination see Bayern home

FCBayernNews · News fetcher Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 1328 votes: 2

19.11.2006

The Allianz Arena clock showed 35 minutes played between Bayern and VfB Stuttgart when the crowd erupted in ecstasy, reacting to news beamed in over the huge video walls. Alemannia Aachen had taken the lead against Werder Bremen, and Energie Cottbus had pulled back from two down to level at home to Schalke 04.

Claudio Pizarro must have felt he could ratchet up the mood of elation a notch or two higher, as he handed his side the lead with a tap-in following superb build-up play from Mark van Bommel only a minute later. The visitors had begun the day as league leaders but found themselves back down in third 90 minutes later, just a point ahead of Munich.

A wonderful match

"We've witnessed a very interesting game from both teams," Bayern general manager Uli Hoeneß declared afterwards, unpacking the superlatives as he spoke of "a wonderful game of football. It was ample proof we do better when our opponents try to play football. At the end of the day, we deserved to win."

Coach Felix Magath declared himself "satisfied overall" with his troops' performance against one of his former clubs. VfB shooting star Mario Gomez fired his side ahead after just eight minutes, but Bayern turned the match on its head with another glorious comeback reminiscent of last week's stirring events in Leverkusen. Roy Makaay took his total for the campaign to seven on 27 minutes, before Pizarro struck what turned out to be the winner.

Running into form

"That was hard work, especially after going behind," reflected Philipp Lahm, who first shot to prominence in a two-year loan spell with Stuttgart. "I think we were very good in the first half today, and we deserved the win. It gives us something to build on. Provided we keep going, it looks good for the next few weeks," the left-back reasoned.

The highlight from a Bayern point of view was the team's robust reaction to the visitors' early goal. "We're heading in the right direction. We've shown this is a very good team," offered van Bommel, universally praised afterwards for his tremendous commitment in laying on Pizarro's winner.

Grit and determination

"Mark was outstanding in that scene," Magath agreed. "That was something we could have done with in the past, a player sending out that kind of signal." Bayern's form is following a distinct upward curve, both in the quality of their football, but also with an increasing level of grit and determination. "We were prepared to battle, and that's what got us going. We believe in ourselves again," Magath commented.

Man-mountain Daniel van Buyten agreed. "We've learned we'll only win if we get stuck in," the Belgian defender explained. "I'm convinced we'll keep on improving, and I hope that's the start of a run. Now we want top spot in the table as soon as possible."