Apart from Bayern's seven Germany internationals plus Belguim's Daniel van Buyten, a further four Munich men were in Euro 2012 qualifying action for their countries on Friday evening. The entire quartet had reason to be highly satisfied at the end of the opening round of group fixtures.
Hamit Altintop was chief among them. In the course of Turkey's convincing 3-0 win away to Kazakhstan, the midfielder scored a stunning goal with a thunderous volley into the top corner of the net, after taking the ball on the full from the edge of the penalty area direct from a corner.
Ivica in the comfort zone
The cracking strike made the score 2-0 to the Turks after just 26 minutes. Arda Turan had handed his side the lead two minutes earlier, with Nihat Kahveci rounding off the scoring a quarter of an hour from time. Altintop played the full 90 minutes, and now meets Belgium and club team-mate Van Buyten in Istanbul on Tuesday evening.
Bayern striker Ivica Olic also added his name to the list of scorers on Friday evening. The 30-year-old put his Croatia side 2-0 up after 51 minutes of their away meeting with Latvia. The Croats went on to win 3-0, the other goals coming from Hamburg striker Mladen Petric (43) and team captain Darijo Srna (82). Danijel Pranjic also earned another cap as a 70th-minute substitute for Ognjen Vukojevic.
Van Bommel's first match as captain
In his maiden appearance as Netherlands skipper, FCB club captain Mark van Bommel led the World Cup runners-up to a routine 5-0 victory away to minnows San Marino.
The man of the match accolade went to new Schalke signing Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who struck a hat-trick on 38, 48, and 67 minutes. Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt netted the opener from the spot after 16 minutes, with Hamburg hitman Ruud van Nistelrooy rounding off the scoring in stoppage time at the end.
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