Bayern Munich failed to ease the pressure on coach Jurgen Klinsmann as they laboured to a 1-1 draw with Lyon.
Germans fail to impress as Lyon claim deserved draw
Bayern Munich failed to ease the pressure on coach Jurgen Klinsmann as they laboured to a 1-1 draw with Lyon.
The German giants have suffered their worst domestic start in 31 years after losing their last two Bundesliga games and they fell behind in the 25th minute when Martin Demichelis deflected a Juninho free-kick into his own net.
Ze Roberto gave Bayern a deserved equaliser seven minutes after the restart but they did not do enough to warrant all three points, with Italian striker Luca Toni missing a host of chances.
The draw keeps Bayern top of Group F after two games, though, having beaten Steaua Bucharest 1-0 in their opening group match.
Bayern had a warning of what was to come when Juninho swung in two teasing crosses in the opening stages which none of his team-mates managed to get on the end of.
Toni headed over from a wide angle while full-back Philipp Lahm stung the hands of Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris after cutting in from the left.
It was third time lucky for Lyon as they finally managed to read a Juninho free-kick in the 11th minute, although Bayern keeper Michael Rensing stuck out a foot to keep out Fred's close-range header.
The French champions were dangerous on the break throughout through Juninho's sublime distribution and the pace of striker Karim Benzema, and Anthony Reveillere advanced in the 16th minute before hitting a 25-yard drive narrowly wide.
Franck Ribery was Bayern's biggest threat with his surging runs down the left flank and the France winger's 20-yard strike forced Lloris to palm round the post in the 23rd minute after good work by Lahm.
Sidney Govou failed to pick out a team-mate following a swift Lyon break-away, but the visitors opened the scoring moments later from a vicious delivery by Juninho.
The former Brazil international drove a free-kick towards goal from fully 45 yards and Demichelis looked to be caught in two minds on the edge of the Bayern box, the Argentina midfielder virtually static as he merely flicked the ball on inside Rensing's right-hand post.
The hosts replied with Lloris having to turn a Toni strike wide and it was an important save as Toni's left-footed effort would have drifted just inside the far post.
Toni then headed wide after doing well to connect with a right-wing cross from compatriot Massimo Oddo, who chose to join Bayern instead of Lyon when leaving AC Milan this summer.
Toni was off target twice more as the hosts emerged from the break in determined mood, firing over from a wide angle before sending a difficult header wide.
Bayern drew level moments later, though, as Ze Roberto headed home from 12 yards after Oddo released Miroslav Klose down the right.
Lyon might have got straight back in front if an unmarked Benzema was able to reach a right-wing cross from Ederson, a first-half replacement for the injured Govou.
Tempers flared as Klose, Juninho and Jean Makoun were all booked in quick succession, and a hopeful Ribery strike into the side-netting was the best chance either side could muster until the final 15 minutes.
Bayern would then surely have taken the lead had an unmarked Lucio managed to connect with a Bastian Schweinsteiger free-kick, while Toni mishit a volley straight at Lloris late on but a Bayern winner would have been unjust.
| Bayern Munich |
Team Statistics |
Lyon |
| 1 |
Goals |
1 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 6 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 6 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
| 9 |
Corners |
1 |
| 16 |
Fouls |
32 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
4 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 82.2 |
Passing Success |
76.6 |
| 14 |
Tackles |
25 |
| 64.3 |
Tackles Success |
76 |
| 61.8 |
Possession |
38.2 |
| 55.7 |
Territorial Advantage |
44.3 |
|
