(Football news) After defeating Lazio 3-0 at the Allianz Arena this evening, Bayern Munich secured their spot in the Champions League quarter finals by overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit.
Just moments after Lazio’s first-leg hero, Ciro Immobile, had wasted a fantastic opportunity for the Biancocelesti at the other end, late goals from Harry Kane and Thomas Muller flipped the tie on its head.
In a game that put a lot of strain on every member of the Bayern team, Kane scored his second goal after the break as the team easily defeated the opposition.
This is the first time in eight attempts that Bayern have progressed after losing the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie, but it is the third successive occasion in which they won a last-16 encounter despite trailing after the first leg.
It extends Bayern’s fine run of making it past the last 16 for the 12th time in 13 seasons, and in doing so, they have made it seven wins in a row against Italian clubs at home.
Pressure will settle slightly on manager Thomas Tuchel for now, after coming into the game with just one win from their last five, but success in this competition is the only likely way this season can be salvaged for Bayern. For Lazio, it extends their miserable run away in Germany in this competition, as it is now five trips without a win.
The defeat also means that for just the second time in 14 previous European ties, Lazio have been eliminated despite winning the first leg.
Many expected Maurizio Sarri to shut up shop and park the bus in Bavaria this evening, but Lazio were expansive and adventurous in possession early on, committing many players forward whenever possible, and it was Matteo Guendouzi who had the first opening inside five minutes, but fired wide.
Bayern, as expected, were the dominant force in the opening stages, and Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala and Kane all had opportunities in the opening 15 minutes that went begging.
Lazio had to be brave in defence, and a double block from Mario Gila and Adam Marusic denied Musiala and Raphael Guerreiro in quick succession as tension grew around the Allianz.
Bayern coach Tuchel was visibly frustrated when referee Slavko Vincic slipped and inadvertently intercepted a Muller pass in the final third, with nothing as of yet going right for the hosts.
There was a huge let off for Bayern just moments later though, as Mattia Zaccagni’s cross, which nicked off Matthijs de Ligt, found Immobile at the back post, but the 34-year-old was unable to steer his header on target despite being completely unmarked in the penalty area.
Tuchel’s men took advantage almost instantly, as a fine move saw Muller knock a header down for Guerreiro, and even thought the left-back scuffed his effort, Kane was on hand to divert it goalwards, as the ball squirmed agonisingly underneath the body of Ivan Provedel in the Lazio goal.
After the first goal, Bayern increased their pressure, and the home team eventually took the lead in the match immediately after Musiala’s shot struck the post.
Replays indicate that Felipe Anderson kept De Ligt onside as he skillfully nodded in an acrobatic volley inside the six-yard box after an outswinging corner found its way to the back post in acres of space.
From then point on, Lazio found it difficult to maintain control of the match, and even though Sarri made some early adjustments in the second half, the Biancocelesti lost the game quickly.
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