Roma vs. Bayern Munich: Score, Grades and Reaction from Champions League Game
Bayern Munich laid down a marker in the UEFA Champions League with an emphatic 7-1 victory over AS Roma on Tuesday in an astonishing Group E match at the Stadio Olimpico.
European champions in 2013, Bayern look genuine contenders once again after tearing apart an in-form Roma side that had won each of its previous five home matches.
The Bavarians netted five times in the opening 36 minutes to leave their hosts reeling. After Roma pulled back a consolation goal through Gervinho in the second half, Bayern added two more in the closing stages to round off a memorable night in the Italian capital.
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Six different players found the scoresheet as Bayern put on a terrifying show of attacking football. Arjen Robben scored twice during the first-half onslaught, while Mario Gotze, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller added one goal each. Substitutes Franck Ribery and Xherdan Shaqiri found the net in the second half to end any thoughts of a fightback from Roma.
The result leaves Bayern firmly in control of Group E with a maximum nine points from three matches. Roma are second with four points, two ahead of Manchester City.
The same two teams meet again in two weeks' time, with Roma facing the daunting prospect of playing at Bayern's Allianz Arena on Nov. 5. Another victory for Bayern would assure their progress to the knockout stage as group winners, while Roma will be hoping to hold off a possible challenge from Man City or CSKA Moscow.
Elsewhere in Group E, Manchester City dropped points against CSKA Moscow earlier in the day, drawing 2-2 in Russia after holding a 2-0 lead at half-time. That result opened up an opportunity for Roma, and the home fans seemed to take note, providing a fine atmosphere at kick-off.
But in just the ninth minute, Bayern silenced the cauldron in the Stadio Olimpico with the game's opening goal. It was a vintage strike too, Robben cutting inside on his left foot after accepting a pass from Philipp Lahm on the right flank. With Ashley Cole beaten, Robben curled an unstoppable shot past Morgan De Sanctis for a quick 1-0 lead.
Roma nearly produced an instant response two minutes later. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, moving forward from his centre-back role, played through to Gervinho, who forced Manuel Neuer to save with a low shot on target.
After that, however, Bayern utterly dominated. Four more goals flew in before half-time as the visitors decimated Roma with clever, constant movement, disciplined defensive work, precise passing and clinical finishing.
Gotze doubled Bayern's lead in the 23rd minute after combining brilliantly with Muller. Taking possession in midfield, Gotze dribbled toward the box and passed to his German international team-mate. Muller backheeled straight back to Gotze without looking, and Gotze pulled a low first-time finish past De Sanctis, who didn't budge.
Two minutes later it was 3-0. Xabi Alonso spread play out to Juan Bernat on the left. Bernat then crossed into the middle for Lewandowski, who stole in front of the ball-watching Yanga-Mbiwa to head in.
Roma were stunned, but their plight only worsened from there.
Robben made it 4-0 in the 30th minute with his second goal of the match. Lewandowski played the role of creator, rolling a speculative pass through to the Dutchman on the right. Robben rounded Cole easily and slammed his shot in off De Sanctis' hands.
Five minutes later, Bayern won a penalty as David Alaba's cross hit the hand of a sliding Kostas Manolas inside Roma's box. Muller took the penalty in the 36th minute, confidently stroking his shot to the right past De Sanctis to give Bayern a 5-0 half-time lead.
Little remained for Roma after the break besides regaining a measure of pride. The Italians came out for the second half with a renewed commitment to the attack as well as two new players in substitutes Jose Holebas and Alessandro Florenzi.
The hosts created a pair of chances in quick succession in the 54th minute. First, Gervinho fired a rasping shot off the near post. Moments later, Florenzi pulled down a lofted Daniele De Rossi pass before blasting on target from close range. But Neuer made himself big in Bayern's goal to pull off the save, maintaining his clean sheet.
Neuer made an even more impressive save in the 61st minute, again stopping Gervinho. The Ivorian seemed destined to score when he connected cleanly with a volley from a Miralem Pjanic free-kick, but Neuer reacted instantaneously, turning his body slightly to save with his outstretched arms from point-blank range. The ball bounced free momentarily, but Neuer pounced to smother the danger.
It was beginning to look like Roma would never score, but in the 66th minute, Neuer was finally beaten. Florenzi led a break down the middle, with Radja Nainggolan on his left and Gervinho to his right. The Italian opted for Nainggolan, who crossed quickly into the middle for Gervinho. From close range, the Ivorian powered in his header to give Roma their first goal of the night.
The match might have faded into an exhibition from there, but Bayern had another goal in store. In the 78th minute, Robben picked out Ribery's run down the right flank, allowing the Frenchman to chip delicately past the onrushing De Sanctis for a 6-1 Bayern lead.
Bayern weren't done yet either. In the 80th minute, Shaqiri made it 7-1, reacting quickest to poke in the rebound from a tight angle after De Sanctis spilled Rafinha's initial shot.
Roma were comprehensively beaten, but Bayern could have had another in the 88th minute. Rafinha set up Ribery for a clear chance with a cross to the back post, but Ribery volleyed into the side netting to give Roma the slightest of let-offs.
Grades
| Morgan De Sanctis | 4.0 |
| Vasilis Torosidis | 6.4 |
| Kostas Manolas | 4.9 |
| Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa | 5.9 |
| Ashley Cole | 5.5 |
| Miralem Pjanic | 6.6 |
| Daniele De Rossi | 5.7 |
| Radja Nainggolan | 6.7 |
| Juan Iturbe | 6.1 |
| Francesco Totti | 5.6 |
| Gervinho | 7.3 |
| Alessandro Florenzi (for Totti, 46') | 6.1 |
| Jose Holebas (for Cole, 46') | 5.9 |
| Adem Ljajic (for Pjanic, 79') | 5.5 |
| Manuel Neuer | 7.5 |
| Mehdi Benatia | 7.5 |
| Jerome Boateng | 7.1 |
| David Alaba | 7.0 |
| Arjen Robben | 9.6 |
| Philipp Lahm | 7.2 |
| Mario Gotze | 8.2 |
| Xabi Alonso | 8.3 |
| Juan Bernat | 7.8 |
| Thomas Muller | 8.1 |
| Robert Lewandowski | 8.8 |
| Rafinha (for Muller, 60') | 6.9 |
| Franck Ribery (for Lewandowski, 68') | 7.5 |
| Xherdan Shaqiri (for Gotze, 79') | 7.6 |
Reaction
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola (via Football Italia):
"It seems a bit exaggerated! We found an early goal with Arjen that calmed us, then we pressed Roma to keep hold of the ball. We do it because we want the ball, not to irritate our opponents. We like to hold the ball and then probe to find where we can break through. We will see in two weeks in Munich that there is not such a huge gap between the teams.
In 20 minutes Roma had three or four clear scoring opportunities and therefore we have to improve, so we’ll talk things over. Manchester City drew their game in Moscow, so Roma remain second; it’s still only October.
"
AS Roma coach Rudi Garcia (via Football Italia):
"It was a tactical collapse more than a psychological one. We weren’t aggressive enough and allowed Bayern to play,” Garcia told Sky Sport Italia.
"I am the first one who made the mistake, it is not the fault of the players, the first half approach was my fault entirely. It was the wrong strategy, we should’ve been more closed up and try to hit them on the counter-attack.
"Once we were a goal down after 10 minutes, we ran forward and that played into Bayern’s hands. We were too eager to get it back on track and left spaces that Bayern took advantage of. We should’ve kept our heads and waited for the right chance.
"
