Bayern beaten to top spot in group

FC Bayern fell to a 1-0 defeat to Benfica in their final Club World Cup group match on Tuesday. Andreas Schjelderup handed Benfica an early lead in Charlotte. And while Munich were dominant in the second half, they were unable to find a way back into the game. The result means Vincent Kompany’s men go through in second place in Group C and will take on Flamengo in Miami on Sunday at 4pm local time (10pm CEST).

Bayern started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Sacha Boey, Dayot Upamecano, Josip Stanišić and Raphaël Guerreiro in a back four. Aleksandar Pavlović and João Palhinha anchored a midfield featuring Serge Gnabry, debutant Tom Bischof and Leroy Sané, with Thomas Müller up front. Harry Kane, Joshua Kimmich and Michael Olise took over from Bischof, Palhinha and Gnabry at half-time. Jonathan Tah and Konrad Laimer came on for Upamecano and Boey early in the second half.

Trailing at half-time

Bayern dominated possession in the first half, but Benfica had the better chances. Neuer made a fine save against Ángel di María, but Fredrik Aursnes’ cut-back soon found Schjelderup, who beat Neuer from 15 yards out.

After a drinks break because of the extreme heat in Charlotte, Gnabry’s shot was blocked before he set up Sané, who fired over. A Di María cross evaded Nicolas Otamendi before a Sané delivery found Müller, whose first touch let him down as Bayern trailed at half-time.

No way through

Munich pushed for an equaliser after the restart and Benfica keeper Anatoliy Trubin denied Sané and Müller before Pavlović fired over. Neuer saved from substitute Kerem Aktürkoglu before Kimmich beat Trubin from 20 yards, but the goal was chalked off for Kane’s offside position.

Laimer hit the post, but the assistant’s flag was again up in any case. Olise’s cross caused a mix-up in the box and Pavlović latched onto it, but Trubin made another strong save. Sané fired over before running onto Kane’s fine through-ball, only to be denied once again by the Ukrainian goalkeeper. Müller saw an effort blocked and Kane only just miscued a header as Bayern fell to a narrow defeat to close out the group stage.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen