Wolfsburg, Bayern snubbed at Champoins League
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It was a frustrating evening for German top football clubs at Champions League games on Wednesday as German record champoins Bayern Munich went down 2-1 in Bordeaux, while a dominant Wolfsburg side were held 0-0 at home against Turkish champions Besiktas.
Bayern were reduced to nine men as they went down 2-1 to French champions Girondins de Bordeaux on an eventful but ultimately disappointing night at the Chaban Delmas stadium.
The game looked to have begun brightly for the visitors as Bayern took the lead in the sixth minute, Bordeaux defender Michal Ciani unwittingly diverting the ball into his own net from a corner after Daniel van Buyten had flicked the ball into the danger area.
Just before the half-hour mark and Ciani was able to redeem himself and in some style. The French defender made his way up for a corner and deceived the Bayern defence and goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt with the deftest of flicks into the back of the net.
The frustration at conceding an equalizer clearly got the better of young prodigy Thomas Mueller, who was sent off just a minute later for a second bookable offence. The 20-year-old forward could have no complaints after two rash challenges.
With Bayern down to ten men and half time approaching fast, Bordeaux took the lead when a hopeful ball into the box was not cleared by the Bayern defence, finding its way through to Marc Planus who just stole in front of Hamit Altintop to loop the ball over the stranded Butt.
Things went from bad to worse in the second half for Louis van Gaal's troops as Butt got the ball stuck under his feet before losing the ball to Marouane Chamakh and fouling the Morroccan striker to gift the hosts a penalty midway through the second period. Yoann Gourcuff stepped forward confidently, but his cheeky chip was clawed out by Butt before the French playmaker made a hash of the rebound.
Although Bayern's Italian striker Luca Toni hit a post shortly afterwards with a near-post header he really should have scored, Bayern were lucky not to concede a third goal.
Again the chance was gifted to the French side on a plate when Daniel van Buyten received his marching orders for hauling down Chamakh with the forward clean through on goal, but with Bayern reduced to nine men, substitute Jussie could not convert for Laurent Blanc's home side with Butt at least partially making up for his early misdemeanors with another save.
The defeat means Bayern are now third in Group G after three games and are now under pressure to get a result in the reverse fixture at the Allianz Arena in two weeks time.
Meanwhile at the Volkswagen Arena it was a frustrating evening of football for reigning Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Turkish side Besiktas.
From the beginning Wolfsburg pressed Turkish champion Besiktas Istanbul into defense, while Besiktas were unable to offer any offensive actions.
It did not take long for the home side to assert their usual attacking game and Bosnia-Herzegovina strike Edin Dzeko went close early on with a header that grazed the roof of the net. The towering striker had the best of the first half chances but his next two efforts also failed to find the target.
Diego Benaglio did not have much to do throughout the match but was called into action on one occasion as the first half entered its latter stages, rushing out to meet Besiktas striker Bobo who had stolen in behind the Wolfsburg defence. The Swiss shot-stopper did a sterling job in thwarting the Brazilian striker's advance.
Arguably of the best chance of the match came within seven minutes of the restart as Dzeko got found his way into the left side of the penalty area, but despite having three bites at the cherry could only find the outside of the post with the goal at his mercy, albeit from a difficult angle.
As the second half progressed and Wolfsburg s enterprising attacking play failed to produce any tangible results and with 74 minutes on the clock, a discouraged Grafite was given a straight red card for lashing out at Ibrahim Kas in a six-yard box scuffle.
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