Champions League - Bayern and Lyon through

Eurosport - Tue, 25 Nov 21:59:00 2008

Bayern Munich and Lyon qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League after Group F wins over Steaua Bucharest and Fiorentina respectively.

FOOTBALL Champions League Fiorentina Lyon Vargas Benzema - 0

The Bundesliga champions smashed the Romanian side 3-0 at the Allianz Arena thanks to a brace from Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni's first goal in the Champions League this season.

A Karim Benzema-inspired Lyon also took their tally to 11 points with an entertaining 2-1 win in Florence.

The Italian hosts had to win to stay in the Champions League but Les Gones raced 2-0 ahead thanks to goals from Jean II Makoun and France striker Benzema.

Makoun netted on the quarter hour with a simple finish after Sidney Govou and Benzema had chances in a goalmouth scramble.

The impressive Benzema doubled the lead with a superb run and finish after Juninho dispossessed Zdravko Kuzmanovic.

Alberto Gilardino pulled one back for the Italian side with a powerful header just before the break.

Both sides had multiple chances to score again but Juninho hit the woodwork with two spectacular second-half long-shots and Govou also rattled the frame of Sebastien Frey's goal

For Fiorentina, Kuzmanovic placed a shot against the post and missed a sitter while Adrian Mutu was unlucky not to score.

They traded opportunities at the end, with Mutu again going close and Govou firing a volley into the side-netting, while Stevan Jovetic fired wide from close range in injury time.

The result puts Fiorentina out of the Champions League, but they can qualify for the UEFA Cup provided they avoid defeat in Bucharest in the final match of the Group Stage.

Bayern Munich 3-0 Steaua Bucharest

Steaua were fortunate not to be on the end of a cricket score after they were utterly dominated by Bayern.

The half-time score was somehow goalless after Toni missed a hat-trick of easy chances while Klose had a goal disallowed for offside.

The second 45 minutes saw a more realistic score but it started similarly as Toni headed straight at Robinson Zapata from close range when found unmarked.

The opener came not long after, although it was ironically precipitated by a Toni miss from Ze Roberto's cross. The ball dropped to Massimo Oddo, who found Franck Ribery, who himself fed Klose for a simple finish.

They doubled the lead when Toni finally converted a header after a good centre by Philipp Lahm was cleverly flicked on by the excellent Klose.

The Polish-born Germany international grabbed his second and Bayern's third with a cool finish using the outside of his right boot after a wonderful piece of skill by Ribery created space for the counter attack.

Steaua now have to win at home to Fiorentina in the final group match to earn a UEFA Cup slot.

Reda Maher / Eurosport

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  1. well done bayern, keep going

    From maggie, on Wed 26 Nov 5:34AM
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