With 3-0 victory over Lazio at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League after overcoming a 1-0 first-leg deficit.
Harry Kane and Thomas Muller scored in the dying minutes of the first half to completely reverse the match, just after Lazio’s first-leg star Ciro Immobile wasted a wonderful opportunity for the Biancocelesti.
After the first half, Kane scored his second goal, and Bayern coasted to a comfortable win in a game that was high-pressure for the whole duration.
Bayern have now advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League after losing the first leg for the first time in eight attempts. However, this is the third time in a row that they have won a last 16 match after falling down in the first leg.
This continues Bayern’s impressive streak of advancing to the round of 16 for the 12th time in 13 seasons, and their winning streak against Italian clubs at home now stands at seven games.
With only one win in their last five games, manager Thomas Tuchel will be under a little less pressure heading into the game. However, winning this competition is Bayern’s best chance of salvaging this season.
With this loss, Lazio is now eliminated from the tournament despite winning the first leg for the second time in their last fourteen European matches.
Even though many thought Maurizio Sarri would sit this one out in Bavaria, Lazio came out strong in possession, sending a plethora of men forward whenever they could, and Matteo Guendouzi missed the first opportunity of the game inside the first five minutes.
The predicted dominance of Bayern in the first half was evident, as were missed opportunities for Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala, and Kane in the first fifteen minutes.
Tensions were rising throughout the Allianz, forcing Lazio to play brave defense. Musiala and Raphael Guerreiro were denied in rapid succession by Mario Gila and Adam Marusic, who combined for a double block.
With the hosts still failing to score, Bayern coach Tuchel’s frustration was plain to see as referee Slavko Vincic tripped and accidentally picked off a Muller ball in the final third.
Shortly after, though, Bayern suffered a devastating setback when, after Matthijs de Ligt deflected a cross from Mattia Zaccagni, the ball reached Immobile at the back post. Despite being entirely unmarked in the penalty area, the 34-year-old failed to direct his header on goal.
Quickly, Tuchel’s team capitalized on a beautiful move that ended with Muller laying off a header to Guerreiro. Guerreiro scuffed his attempt, but Kane was there to redirect the ball into the goal, and the ball wiggled agonizingly under Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel.
After the first goal, Bayern stepped up their pressure, and the home team eventually took the lead not long after Musiala’s shot went wide of the post.
Muller, in his trademark style, nodded in De Ligt’s acrobatic volley inside the six-yard box after an outswinging corner reached him in acres of space; however, replays revealed that Felipe Anderson had kept him offside.
After that, Lazio had trouble regaining control of the game. Even though Sarri made a flurry of substitutions early in the second half, the Biancocelesti still couldn’t catch up.
Kane was in the right spot at the right time to score his second of the game and put the game beyond the visitors once again as we approached the halfway mark of the second half. Sane had an opportunity to step inside and shoot, but Provedel saved his shot.
The Bavarians’ self-assurance increased, and they wasted no time punishing the struggling Lazio defense. In a counterattack, Musiala set up Muller, who, after receiving a crucial pass from Provedel, saw his shot deflected off the post.
Almost immediately after, though, the entire Allianz Arena let out a collective scream as Luis Alberto gained control of the ball in the penalty area; unfortunately, Manuel Neuer of Bayern was able to keep it out of the net thanks to a crucial deflection off Musiala.
Neuer did not need to make a single stop all night long as Bayern cruised to a 3-1 aggregate victory over Lazio, who hardly registered a touch.
Bayern will play relegation-threatened Mainz this weekend as they try to cling to the league crown. On Monday, Lazio will visit Udinese in what seems like an impossible attempt to crack the top four.
FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE ON X
READ MORE;
Napoli 2-1 Juventus: last grasp victory for the title holders
Monza 1-4 Roma: Dybala shine again for Roma in comfortable win
Lazio 0-1 Milan: second half nightmare at Olimpico for Lazio