Tolisso strike dampens Belgian dreams

ANDERLECHT scored their first goal of the Champions League group stage last night but they could not prevent Corentin Tolisso securing victory for Bayern Munich with a 77th-minute header in Brussels. This was nonetheless a spirited performance by the Belgian champions and the scoreline from the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium would have worried group-rivals Celtic for a spell when captain Sofiane Hanni’s 63rd-minute effort cancelled out Robert Lewandowski’s opener for the German visitors. A draw would have given Anderlecht greater hope of pipping Brendan Rodgers’ men to third place and the Europa League slot when the teams meet for their final group game at Parkhead on December 5. But they were crestfallen with 13 minutes to go when Bayern’s French midfielder Tolisso was given too much room to head home from a Joshua Kimmich cross. Tolisso had also been involved in the first goal for Jupp Heynckes’s side after a goalless first half, slipping the ball in behind a static Anderlecht defence where Lewandowski was waiting to apply a 51st-minute tap-in. The stadium was to erupt 12 minutes later, however, when Adrien Trebel’s cross was headed on by Lukasz Teodorczyk and Algerian international Hanni thrashed the ball beyond Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich. The home joy proved short-lived and there would have been sighs of relief from Celtic fans when Tolisson emerged as the hero for Bayern. Now the Belgians will have to win by three goals at Parkhead next month if they are to remain in Europe at Celtic’s expense.