Gomez double defeats Man City
Reuters - Tuesday 27 September 2011, 21:46
MUNICH - Bayern Munich forward
Mario Gomez struck twice in the first half to hand his team a
2-0 win over Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday
and extend their winning streak to 10 games in all competitions.
To add insult to injury for City manager Roberto Mancini,
Argentine striker Carlos Tevez refused to come on as a
second-half substitute and looks set to never play for the club
again.
Bundesliga top scorer Gomez, who only returned at the
weekend from a groin injury, snatched a 38th-minute lead when he
slid in after City keeper Joe Hart had saved efforts from Franck
Ribery and Thomas Muller.
He added another in first-half stoppage-time as he again
tapped in from close-range.
City, in only their second ever game in the competition
having drawn 1-1 with Napoli in their opener, failed to leave
their mark with another lacklustre performance and have not won
any of their last five European away games.
In-form Bayern, eager for a fifth European Cup title with
the Champions League final being held in Munich next May, have
now won their last 10 games in all competitions without
conceding a goal and top Group A with six points from two games.
"In the first 25 minutes we saw that City are a very good
team and they are top of the Premier League alongside Manchester
United for a reason. We needed our time to get into the game,"
Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes told reporters.
"We gradually improved, used weaknesses in our opponents'
game and we showed how homogenous a team we are. To again keep a
clean sheet especially in this competition means we are in very
good form and my players deserve compliments."
GOOD START
With only one win in 17 appearances by English teams in
Munich, the odds were stacked against City but the visitors
looked livelier at the start and threatened after only a few
minutes when Edin Dzeko's low drive was blocked by goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer.
Mancini opted to start with the blossoming attacking
partnership of Dzeko and Sergio Aguero, who between them have
scored 14 league goals in City's unbeaten start to the Premier
League, leaving Tevez on the bench.
With City pressing high, Bayern initially had problems
cracking open a disciplined defence, trying their luck with some
long-range efforts as Arjen Robben watched on from the bench.
Gradually, however, Ribery carved out space down the left
wing and it was the Frenchman who set up the first goal, firing
in from outside the box, keeper Joe Hart doing well to save it
as well as Thomas Muller's rebound before the unmarked Gomez
slid in for the lead.
The goal was exactly what Bayern needed to take control of
the match as City were now boxed in their own half.
On the stroke of half-time Toni Kroos floated in a free-kick,
Hart again was on hand to save Daniel van Buyten's glancing
header but was helpless when Gomez scored from close-range,
leaving the keeper furious with his defenders.
Germany international Gomez should have had a hat-trick,
coming agonisingly close on two occasions in the second half as
City were reduced to passive observers.
Mancini was furious with his strikers, taking off Dzeko and
saying he was unhappy with the Bosnian's performance.
That was nothing compared to the wrath he bore towards
Tevez.
The Italian said the Argentine would not play again for City
as long as he was a coach.
"I think we need to improve," Mancini told reporters. "We
played well for 25 minutes, 30 minutes but we conceded a stupid
goal.
"But if we want to improve as a team Carlos can't play with
us. With me, he is finished."