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Journalism of Courage
Bayern Munich turned on a virtuoso performance in the second half to pump in four goals past a hapless Arsenal to win the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 match 5-1. The two halves could have been two different matches as far as Arsenal were concerned who seemed to be very much up for the challenge in the first half.
The match started with Bayern straightaway on the front foot. Arjen Robben was the man to put the home side in front with a thumping free kick. But Arsenal were all over Bayern after that and managed to snatch a penalty. Alexis Sanchez was the man who took it and Neur saved it first time. The rebound came straight to the legs of Sanchez who took a second shot that missed goal but, as luck would have it, he got a third straightaway and burried it in the goal brilliantly. Arsenal were level and had an away goal.
Bayern then had more of the possession but the Gunners never let them take full control of the proceedings and looked threatening on the counter. Mesut Ozil had a couple of shots that went straight into the hands of Manuel Neur. As the first half ended, the match was level and it looked like Arsenal were very much up for the challenge.
The second half continued in the same vein until Robert Lewandowski headed the ball in in the absence of an injured Laurent Koscielny and reinstated the lead for the home side. Bayern then started playing the way they are known to play with the movements of forwards like Lewandowski and Robben confusing the opposition defenders and Arturo Vidal being a constant threat from outside the box. Very soon, Lewandwoski put Thiago in behind the Arsenal defence with a deft touch and Bayern tucked in the third. Thiago followed it up a few minutes later with a goal from outside the box.
It was then all about Bayern trying to pile on as much misery as possible on the Gunners who would have conceded three or four more had it not been for the goalkeeping of David Ospina. But there is only so much a goalkeeper can do if there is no competent defence line in front of him and Thomas Muller got his first goal in 15 matches in dying minutes of the match and what could be Arsenal’s Champions League campaign. It is also telling that Muller was on the pitch for less than two minutes before he scored.
The fans are up in arms against Arsene Wenger more than ever and this performance will do little to get any of them on his side. Carlo Ancelotti, on the other hand, has certainly answered his critics. He has overseen an upturn in Bayern Munich’s fortunes on the domestic front and has now made his statement. Bayern Munich are a team to beat in Europe.
