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Second best Bayern Munich comes back to beat Nantes 2-1Posted: Tuesday March 19, 2002 5:00 PMUpdated: Tuesday March 19, 2002 10:55 PM MUNICH, Germany (AP) -- Bayern Munich fought from behind Tuesday to beat Nantes 2-1, but the defending champion still ended up in second place in Group A at the end of the second stage of the Champions League. Already assured of reaching the quarterfinals, Bayern needed a victory to have any hopes of finishing top of the group, and Claudio Pizarro, who had earlier missed a penalty, got the winner in the 87th. Bayern remained unbeaten in 18 straight Champions League matches. With Manchester United winning 3-0 at Boavista Porto, however, the issue became academic. Manchester won the group ahead of Bayern, both on 12 points, with Boavista third on five and Nantes last with two. Nantes, which fielded rarely used players, risked little although it had nothing to lose and massed its defense to leave Bayern little space. The result was a dull match with neither team having a single scoring opportunity in the first half. Midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic made his comeback for Bayern four months after surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right knee. He came on at the start of the second half and immediately sent a threatening cross. By the end of the match, he was Bayern's best player. But instead of Bayern taking the lead after stepping up the pressure, it was the French team that went ahead in the 54th. Owen Hargreaves lost the ball deep in Nantes' half, Hassan Ahamada beat the Bayern offside trap to collect a through pass. Thomas Linke couldn't risk close contact with the Nantes forward, Oliver Kahn charged off his line, Ahamada went wide and shot. Kahn got a piece off the ball, it changed direction slightly and trickled past Linke into the net. Only four minutes later, midfielder Jens Jeremies struck the equalizer, connecting with a header on a cross from Michael Tarnat. The ball took a bounce and swerved away from goalkeeper Willy Grondin. In the 72nd, Salihamidzic earned a penalty when he charged past Yves Deroff into the penalty area, only to be knocked down by the French midfielder. Pizarro went to the spot and aimed to the right but Grondin read the shot and made a good save. But time running away, Salihamidzic provided a long cross that landed behind the French defense and Pizarro slid in to push in the winner.
Hitzfeld: We belong with the favouritesBayern Munich coach Ottmar ranked his team among the favourites to win the Champions League after a hard-fought win over Nantes. "The most important thing is that we won and qualified in style," said Hitzfeld, whose men finished Group A in second place and will have to play the return leg of their quarterfinal away. "We are happy to be through and we belong with the favorites," he added. The defending European champions, who had already made sure of advancing to the last eight, trailed their French visitors but recovered for a win which proved meaningless as Manchester United beat Boavista 3-0. Only with a better result than their English rivals could Bayern win their group. Nantes striker Hassan Ahamada exploited a defensive blunder from Thomas Linke in the 54th minute to open the scoring. The home side levelled four minutes later with a headed goal from midfielder Jens Jeremies. Claudio Pizarro had a penalty saved by Nantes keeper Willy Grondin in the 72nd minute, but the Peruvian striker made amends by hitting the winner from close range three minutes from time. "We had to deal with opponents who were well organised defensively and did not leave us a lot of space," Hitzfeld said of Nantes, who had no hope of advancing to the last eight. "It was not a great match." SummaryBayern Munich 2 Nantes 1 - latestChampions League second stage, Group A Scorers: Bayern Munich - Jens Jeremies 58, Claudio Pizarro 87 Nantes - Hassan Ahamada 54 Halftime: 0-0; Attendance: 23,000 Bayern Munich: 1-Oliver Kahn; 4-Samuel Kuffour, 25-Thomas Linke, 23-Owen Hargreaves, 18-Michael Tarnat; 17-Thorsten Fink, 11-Stefan Effenberg (20-Hasan Salihamidzic 46), 16-Jens Jeremies; 24-Roque Santa Cruz (21-Alexander Zickler 72), 14-Claudio Pizarro, 13-Paulo Sergio (32-Markus Feulner 85). Nantes: 16-Willy Grondin; 24-Yves Deroff, 5-Nicolas Gillet, 35-Mauro Cetto, 25-Jean-Hugues Ateba Bilayi (3-Nicolas Laspalles 63); 26-Goran Rubil, 27-Loic Pailleres, 22-Sylvain Armand, 31-Charles Devineau (13-Mathieu Berson 79), 34-Jeremy Toulalan; 17-Hassan Ahamada (23-Chiva Star N'Zigou 63). Referee: Knud Erik Fisker (Denmark)
Reuters contributed to this report. |
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