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Robben shines as Bayern clips Zurich in 1st leg

Comment: 0 August 18th, 2011 by: admin

THERE are two reasons why Bayern Munich is so motivated to do extremely well in the Champions League this season.

First, the final will be held right in Munich in May, and second, an estimated (US$29 million) await their treasury vault if they can reach the tournament proper.

The Germans moved closer to the lucrative group stage on Wednesday by scuttling FC Zurich 2-0 in the opening leg of their playoff.

Arjen Robben set up Bastian Schweinsteiger for their first goal and then produced the other as the four-time European champions began their bid to make amends in the continent’s premier club competition.

Bayern were unsuccessful reaching the Champions League only once since 1997. They are in the playoffs after missing an automatic qualification as they dropped to third place in the Bundesliga last season.

Playing at the Allianz Arena in front of 66,000 fans who sometimes jeered them, Bayern sprang to life when Robben unleashed a superb cross which Schweinsteiger headed home in the 8th minute.

Winger Franck Ribery and striker Mario Gomez, Bundesliga’s topscorer last season with 28 goals, had chances to add to the Germans haul’ but missed the opportunities.

Gomez, however, found other means to help his side when he assisted Robben for the final count. The Holland international superbly took Gomez’s pass with one touch and curled a shot past Zurich goalkeeper Johnny Leoni in the 72nd minute.

The second leg of the series resumes on August 24 at Zurich’s Stadion Letzigrund where the Germans should not let their guards down in letting Zurich to reverse the tie.

The Swiss are not new to Champions League atmosphere as they made the group stage once — in 2009. They did not go past that phase but boast of stunning AC Milan 1-0 while away and then held the Italian giants to a 1-1 draw in the return tiff.

In other first leg playoffs, Odense surprised Spain’s Villarreal 1-0; Dinamo Zagreb humbled Malmo 4-1; Maccabi Haifa trimmed Genk 2-1; and Wisla Krakow downed APOEL FC of Cyprus 1-0.

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