Bayern initially struggled to make headway against an obdurate Roma side in their opening Champions League Group E fixture on Wednesday night, but Munich stuck gamely to the task and were rewarded for their patience and persistence with two goals in the last ten minutes and a fully merited win.
The 69,000 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena saw very little goalmouth action in the first period, with last year’s finalists just a shade short of inspiration against the disciplined and deep-lying visitors.
Munich upped the tempo after the interval and the chances began to come, but Roma keeper Julio Sergio made some important saves and FCB left a host of chances unconverted. It fell to Thomas Müller to end the frustration with a delightful strike ten minutes from time, sub Miroslav Klose adding a poacher’s second just four minutes later to seal a deserved opening day win.
With CFR Cluj beating FC Basel 2-1 in the parallel fixture, the result means the Bavarians go straight to the top of the Group E standings on goal difference from the Romanian champions. Bayern’s next group fixture is away to the Swiss double winners, with Roma hosting the East Europeans.
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