BAYERN NIK THE POINTS TO SINK AEK
ROUND-UP
BAYERN MUNICH struck twice in as many minutes to win 2-0 at AEK Athens in Group E last night.
The victory was their latest boost after Saturday’s Bundesliga success at Wolfsburg ended a four-game winless run in all competitions – and silenced any crisis talk.
Under-fire Bayern coach Niko Kovac was a relieved man.
The Croatian said: “We turned in a very good display and dominated the match. You can’t win 4-0 or 5-0 in Athens. We failed to take our chances in the first half.
“It was a deserved victory and a very good display. Many other opponents will struggle here. I saw very many good things today.”
AEK, who ended Celtic’s Champions League hopes, kept the Germans at bay for an hour but ultimately could not match Bayern’s speed and power.
The Greeks, still without a point after three matches, fell behind in 61 minutes when Javi Martinez’s acrobatic volley silenced the Olympic Stadium.
Bayern killed off the game when Robert Lewandowski was left with too much space to slot in Rafinha’s cutback.
Real Madrid are also feeling the pressure but gave embattled manager Julen Lopetegui a boost with a narrow 2-1 win over Czechs Viktoria Plzen at the Bernabeu – ending a five-game winless run for the European champions.
Karim Benzema headed an 11th-minute opener and Marcelo secured the victory with a neatly-taken dinked finish before an ice-cool late consolation from Patrik Hrosovsky in the Group G clash.
In Group F, Joelinton scored in stoppage time to win Hoffenheim a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw against visiting French side Lyon. AEK Athens 0, Bayern Munich 2; Ajax 1, Benfica 0. Hoffenheim 3, Lyon 3; Shakhtar Donetsk 0, Man City 3. Real Madrid 2, Plzen 1; Roma 3, CSKA 0. Man Utd 0, Juventus 1; Young Boys 1, Valencia 1. Dundee 0, Hearts 3. Birmingham 2, Reading 1; Middlesbrough 0, Rotherham 0; Millwall 2, Wigan 1; Norwich 2, Aston Villa 1; QPR 3, Sheff Wed 0; Sheff Utd 1, Stoke 1; Swansea 3, Blackburn 1.
Blackpool 1, Scunthorpe 0; Bradford 2, Coventry 4; Bristol Rovers 2, Wimbledon 0; Charlton 1, Oxford 1; Doncaster 0, Sunderland 1; Luton 4, Accrington 1; Peterboro 1, Fleetwood 0; Plymouth 3, Gillingham 1; Portsmouth 2, Burton 2; Shrewsbury 3, Barnsley 1; Southend 3, Walsall 0; Wycombe 3, Rochdale 0.
Bury 1, Newport 1; Crawley 1, Exeter 1; Forest Green 3, Tranmere 1; Grimsby 1, Colchester 0; Lincoln 2, Carlisle 2; Macclesfield 0, Northampton 5; MK Dons 2, Notts County 1; Morecambe 0, Mansfield 1; Oldham 2, Cheltenham 0; Stevenage 0, Port Vale 0; Swindon 0, Cambridge 2; Yeovil 1, Crewe 1. (7.45 unless stated) Borussia Dortmund v Atletico Madrid (8.0), Club Brugge v Monaco (5.55). Barcelona v Inter Milan (8.0), PSV v Tottenham (5.55)
Liverpool v Red Star (8.0), PSG v Napoli (8.0). Galatasaray v Schalke (8.0), Lokomotiv Moscow v Porto (8.0).
Bolton v Nottm Forest (8.0), Bristol City v Hull, Leeds v Ipswich, Preston v Brentford, West Brom v Derby (8.0).