Berlin: After two successive defeats in the Champions League, Bayern Munich returned to winning ways as Jamal Musiala scored the only goal to beat Benfica in the fourth round on Wednesday.
The German giant controlled possession in the early stages, while Benfica remained cautious and passive.
Bayern launched several attacks but struggled to break through the Portuguese visitor’s deep defense, reports Xinhua.
It wasn’t until the half-hour mark that Bayern created its first clear chance, but Harry Kane was unable to beat Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin from the edge of the area.
Bayern piled on the pressure as the game progressed, but Kane was again denied by Trubin from a tight angle, while Michael Olise’s fierce shot was saved by a fine reflex from the Benfica goalkeeper.
The host tried to build on its momentum just before the break. It wasn’t until Leroy Sane replaced Olise on the hour mark that Bayern’s pressure intensified.
The Germany international kept Trubin on his toes, firing two dangerous efforts in quick succession.
Bayern finally broke the deadlock in the 67th minute when Sane crossed into the box, and Kane flicked the ball into the path of Musiala, who headed home from close range at the far post.
Benfica remained passive as Bayern continued to push forward without creating any more clear-cut chances until the final whistle.
“We had our good moments against a tough opponent. It was important to get the three points, and now we can look forward. We all knew we had to win the game. We had a tough start and had to be patient. We’re not going to win every game 5-0,” said Musiala.
“You can win 1-0. We had a lot of shots on target, and they only managed one. At the end of the day, this is the Champions League, and it was an important win for us,” said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany.
The win lifted Bayern to 17th place in the Champions League standings, while Benfica dropped to 19th.
IANS
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