Champions League
December 9, 2009Bayern Munich came from behind in Turin on Monday night to take the second spot in Champions League Group A.
Juventus had only needed a draw to proceed to the competition's final sixteen but Bayern dominated from the start, despite the opening goal coming from the Italians in the 19th minute. At the half, Bayern goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt equalized from the penalty spot after Olic was brought down, and the Germans didn't look back.
Seven minutes after the break, Olic swept the ball home and Gomez brought the tally to three in the 83rd. Timoschuk ensured humiliation for Juventus with the fourth and final goal in injury time.
"You could say that Juventus played terribly but you could also say that we played brilliantly," Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said after the game.
"We were well organized in the middle, we held onto the ball well and we always tried to go forward with conviction and maybe this was simply too much for Juve," he said.
Brazil international Diego agreed that his side was not on form.
"Our attitude wasn't right...Bayern understood what they had to do on the pitch," he said.
Wolfsburg out
It was a disappointing evening at home for Wolfsburg after a hat trick from Michael Owen gave Manchester United the top spot in Group B, denying the Germans the chance to advance to the knockout stages.
The English striker scored the opening goal right on half time but Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko evened the score in the 56th minute with a header from a Marcel Schaefer cross. Owen secured his side's victory by slotting the ball home at the far post in the 83rd and adding insult to injury with another goal in extra time.
Man U coach Alex Ferguson had, for obvious reasons, only praise for Owen following the match.
"As he has proved many times, he is one of the best strikers around in terms of his positional play and his finishing," Ferguson said.
Wolfsburg trainer Armin Veh said his side put in a good effort but it was not rewarded.
"The team gave everything," he said. "You can't make any criticisms of them."
Dzeko also said he didn't know what went wrong.
"We had a chance again and we didn't use it," he said. "That's a shame for everyone here."
ca/dpa/AP/AFP/Reuters
Editor: Rick Demarest