Bayern Munich went some way to atoning for last season's Champions League final defeat with with a 1-0 win at Inter.
Gomez's late goal put Germans in pole position
Bayern Munich went some way to atoning for last season's UEFA Champions League final heartache against Inter Milan with a 1-0 success at Giuseppe Meazza.
Inter were crowned European champions with victory over the German club last May, but Bayern are in pole position in their last-16 fixture courtesy of Mario Gomez's late winner in Milan.
Louis Van Gaal's side were the better side on the night with the fit-again Arjen Robben the architect behind everything good about the visitors' play.
Franck Ribery glanced a header against the woodwork in the first half from Robben's cross, although the best chance fell to Inter's Andrea Ranocchia early on.
Esteban Cambiasso blazed over when well-placed after half time and just when it looked like it would finish goalless Gomez stabbed home to secure the win.
Ranocchia, on his Champions League debut, missed the first chance as he volleyed wide when well placed from Wesley Sneijder's free-kick.
It took more than 10 minutes for Bayern to get into the game, but as Thomas Muller forced his way into the area he was crowded off the ball.
Julio Cesar was lucky when he got down late to a left-footed shot from 30 yards out by Luiz Gustavo, which went just wide of the goalkeeper's right-hand post.
Samuel Eto'o then went down under a challenge from Anatoliy Tymoschuk inside the area, but Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai was not interested in any penalty claims.
Deflected wide
Gustavo then saw another shot from distance deflected wide for a corner as Bayern came more into the game.
But the visitors had an escape when Eto'o worked the ball into the right side of the area and threaded it through the defence for an unmarked Cambiasso, but his shot from close range was straight at Thomas Kraft who saved with his legs.
Robben then crossed the ball in but Franck Ribery's header hit the top of the bar.
Eto'o caused Kraft an anxious moment when he charged down a pass across the Bayern defence but the goalkeeper was able to back track and gather the ball on his line.
Sneijder released Dejan Stankovic with a clever floated pass but the ball struck his leg as he tried to take control and the Bayern defence were able to clear.
Kraft got down well to his left to keep out a low shot from Eto'o and Sneijder wasted a chance just before half-time as he shot well wide.
Maicon should have done better when a pass from Stankovic played him in on the right side of the area but he also missed the target.
Muller wasted a fine chance early in the second half when he got on the end of Robben's flighted ball across the Inter box but glanced his header across goal.
Post
Robben struck the outside of the post with a rising shot after he had exchanged passes with Ribery and run wide of the Inter defence to give himself an opening.
Cambiasso then missed the best chance so far when he pounced on the rebound after Kraft had beaten away Eto'o's shot, but the midfielder fired the ball high over the bar.
Bayern went close just before the hour when Robben cut in from the right but his shot was also over the top.
Bayern had a lucky escape near the end when Thiago Motta was left unmarked at a corner from Sneijder but he headed straight at Kraft.
Eto'o was also denied when his shot from the edge of the area through a crowd of players was deflected wide for a corner.
And Inter paid for those wasted chances when Bayern shocked the home crowd with a late winner.
Julio Cesar could not hold Robben's shot and Gomez was first to the loose ball to net the rebound.
| Internazionale |
Team Statistics |
FC Bayern München |
| 0 |
Goals |
1 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 6 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 3 |
Blocked Shots |
7 |
| 8 |
Corners |
7 |
| 10 |
Fouls |
17 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 3 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 84.1 |
Passing Success |
86.9 |
| 28 |
Tackles |
32 |
| 71.4 |
Tackles Success |
62.5 |
| 45.9 |
Possession |
54.1 |
| 44.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
55.4 |
|
