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Bundesliga Champion Bayern Munich pummeled Qatar Stars League second division club Al Sailiya 13-0 in its first friendly match of 2012 at the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence in Doha on Thursday.
The Bayern team was in full command with the return of star midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger after his lay-off due to a collarbone injury restricting him to two months of competitive football. Arjen Robben, Mario Gomez and Thomas Müller scored before half time, Ivica Olic scored an incredible five, Nils Petersen and Franck Ribéry claimed a brace apiece, and Diego Contento scored another in a one-sided second half.
Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heyneckes started a strong eleven for the warm up match ahead of the restart of the Bundesliga fixture away to Borussia Mönchengladbach on January 20. Manuel Neuer was in goal behind a back four of Jérôme Boateng, Daniel van Buyten, Holger Badstuber and Philipp Lahm. In the midfield, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk collaborated Schweinsteiger, Robben, Müller, Toni Kroos and Gomez took up the attacking positions.
The second half saw a field of new eleven players, with Ribéry arguably the biggest name in the second-half line-up. Supported by a noisy FCB fans, the men from Munich made heavy weather of the first half-hour against the local team coached by former Germany international Uli Stielike. The intense training sessions of recent days had clearly left their mark, although there were moments of class too, and Schweinsteiger gave no hint of his lengthy absence with injury.
The Bavarians were a bit wasteful with their chances, until Robben’s 36th-minute opener from a Lahm pass broke the deadlock. A minute later, Gomez converted a superb Kroos delivery, before Müller accepted Robben’s assist to make it three in the 44th minute. In the second half the Bayern players that played the first 45 minutes took to the next training pitch as eleven fresh players continued play in the match, Ribery was the cynosure of all eyes as he dazzled the local fans with an entertaining and skilful display down the left flank, although the fourth and fifth goals were dispatched by Olic from a header and Petersen with a low drive from Ribéry’s lay-off. The Bundesliga champions hit their stride against the tiring part-timers and the goals quickly followed. Olic finished with a confidence-boosting five-goal haul, with the outstanding Ribéry adding two of his own, setting the seal on an enjoyable and worthwhile friendly run-out.
Meanwhile, Bayern will play its next friendly with Egyptian giants Al Ahly at the Al Rayyan Stadium on Saturday under the sponsorship of Volkswagen. The German giants will fly from Qatar to India on January 9. The Bavarians will play the Indian national team on January 10. The match to be played in New Delhi between the Bundesliga team and the Bhangra Boys is a farewell match for former Indian captain Baichung Bhutia, who retired from international football last year
Source – Qatar Tribune
