Five-star Bayern rout hapless Sporting

BAYERN MUNICH put one foot in the last eight, putting five goals past Sporting Lisbon in the Portuguese capital.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s side initially looked to employed a defensive-minded approach but, after going ahead against the run of play through Franck Ribery after 41 minutes, their hosts, through to the last 16 for the first time, simply fell apart.

Champions League top scorer Miroslav Klose got his sixth goal of the tournament 10 minutes after the break before Ribery bagged his second from the penalty spot six minutes later.

Ribery underlined his influence in the 84th minute when he crossed for Luca Toni to head in before the Italy striker added a second a minute from time.

Sporting dominated early possession and were only denied an early goal by some last-gasp defending from the hosts.

Bayern’s priority was clearly defending, however, with Ribery looking to feed off the aerial threats of strike duo Klose and Toni the visitors retained some attacking purpose.

Klinsmann’s tactics were serving to frustrate the hosts who, while dominating possession, were reduced to half chances.

Moutinho volleyed across goal from an acute angle while Liedson could not get a back-post header on target under pressure from Martin Demichelis.

Bayern’s cagey approach was rewarded four minutes before the break when a stray pass fell to Ribery on the halfway line. The France winger drove forward at the now exposed defence and, after riding the challenges of Tonel and Polga, won his one-on-one battle with Tiago by sliding a shot under the onrushing goalkeeper.

Sporting were, however, caught cold again after 57 minutes. Massimo Oddo sent in a cross from the right flank which Toni flicked on for Klose who used his thigh to direct the ball in from close range at the far post.

The mood inside the Estadio Jose Alvalade was now darkened and Bayern delivered a knockout blow six minutes later when Lahm won a penalty after his driving run into the area drew a reckless challenge from Fabio Rochemback. Ribery sent Tiago the wrong way from the penalty spot, coolly sliding the ball in at the left-hand post.

Now beaten and dejected Sporting offered little hope of even pulling a goal back and their fate in the tie was all but sealed by Toni’s double in the final six minutes.

Ribery was the architect of the first as he dribbled into space on the left before chipping a cross for Toni who held off his marker and headed across goal into the net.

A fifth goal followed soon after when Toni saw his first-time shot blocked by Tiago, but with no defender in the vicinity the striker had time to roll the rebound into the net.

SPORTING: Tiago, Abel, (Pereirinha 61), Tonel, Caneira, Anderson Polga, Izmailov (Vukcevic 60), Rochemback, Joao Moutinho, Romagnoli, Liedson, Derlei (Djalo 71).

BAYERN MUNICH: Rensing, Lahm, Oddo (Lell 66), Lucio (Van Buyten 78), Demichelis, Ribery, Ze Roberto, Van Bommel, Schweinsteiger (Altintop 71), Klose, Toni.

Referee: Bertrand Layec (France).