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CL
Report: Bayern take emphatic step towards qualification
Bayern Munich took an emphatic step towards qualifying for the Champions League
second round with a 5-1 thrashing of Spartak Moscow at the Olympic stadium here
on Wednesday night. Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro and Brazilian Giovane Elber
were both twice on target and Alexander Zickler hit a late fifth for the
defending champions. Vladimir Beschastnykh scored a consolation for Oleg
Romantsev's men in the second half.
Bayern remain second in Group H with eight points, two points behind Sparta Prague, who were
2-0 winners at Dutch side Feyernoord. The hosts, 3-1 winners in Russia, took the
initiative right from the start in this return fixture. Pizarro had a good
chance from a long range shot early on but it was parried by Moscow keeper
Maxime Levitsky. Moments later in the seventh minute, after being set up by
Elber, Pizarro left the keeper no chance from 12 metres. The Russians showed
enterprise from then on but had trouble getting things together to seriously
threaten Oliver Kahn's goal. Pizarro once more got on the scoresheet in the 22nd
minute to put Bayern firmly in control. From a cross by Frenchman Willy Sagnol,
Pizarro headed the ball home from six metres for his second of the night and
second in the competition. Bayern were content to sit back and hit on the
counterattack. The tactic paid dividends when Munich surged forward and Bosnian
Hasan Salihamidzic crossed for Elber to knock the ball home with his left foot
in the 33rd minute for his fifth goal of the tournament.
After the break, Ottmar Hitzfeld's men continued where they had left off - with a goal. A
quick foray upfield by Bayern was crowned by a second goal for Elber, once again
well served by Salihamidzic, in the 52nd minute. Spartak showed their mettle to
not let their heads drop and six minutes later Vladimir Beschastnykh, with just
Kahn to beat, earned them a consolation goal. Further occasions came from
Beschastnykh, Victor Bulatov, Yegor Titov and Vassili Baranov but they lacked
precision at the crucial moment. Bayern's last counterattack brought a fifth
goal. Zickler, who came on 12 minutes before the end for Brazilian Paulo Sergio,
scored in injury time to complete their goal spree
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