Patient Reds down Lok Moscow

FC Bayern beat Lokomotiv Moscow 2-0 on Wednesday night, stretching their unbeaten run in the Champions League to 17 games. Bayern lacked inspiration before half-time but struck twice in the second half. Niklas Süle opened the scoring before Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting twisted the knife with ten minutes to go.

The Bavarians started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Bouna Sarr, Jérôme Boateng, Süle and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Marc Roca and Leon Goretzka featured in a twin holding role behind Leroy Sané, Thomas Müller and Douglas Costa, with Choupo-Moting up front. Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, Chris Richards, Lucas Hernández and Angelo Stiller took over from Müller, Goretzka, Boateng, Davies and Sané in the second half.

No goals

Bayern dominated possession in the first half but lacked precision and creative spark in the final third, whereas the visitors parked the bus. Davies saw an effort blocked before Sané and Sarr fired over the bar from distance. Goretzka miscued, Costa seeing a shot saved.

Lokomotiv woke up now, Neuer denying Maciej Rybus and Goretzka making a crucial block against François Kamano. Müller hit the side-netting on the break, and the sides turned round with the game still goalless.

Süle breaks the deadlock

Munich upped the pressure after half-time, Choupo-Moting seeing an effort blocked and Süle seeing a header saved. Lok keeper Guilherme denied Choupo-Moting and Gnabry, the latter firing the rebound wide. But a goal was coming and arrived after the hour mark, Süle rising high to head home from a Costa corner, scoring his maiden Champions League goal.

Sané put a header just wide before Nikita Iosifov drew a save from Neuer at the other end. Gnabry's powerful shot forced a save from Guilherme, but Choupo-Moting soon put the game to bed, Gnabry inviting the summer arrival to double the advantage. Sané fired over from distance, and match official Sandro Schärer blew for full-time.

Bayern will be back in action in just three days, when they travel to face Union Berlin in the Bundesliga. They will learn the identity of their last sixteen opponents on Monday.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen