72353af78c3a6f96d982f99eac17454f.jpg (Photo : big5.xinhuanet.com)
The first leg of the Club World Cup semi-final match at the Lovell Stadium in featured European champions Bayern Munich against the AFC Champions League winners Guangzhou Evergrande.
Bayern was not be denied as they defeated Evergrande 3-0. Bayern will next play in the Cup final while Evergrande will either Raja Casablanca or Atletico Mineiro play in the consolation match.
Bayern scored twice in the first half off of shots from Franck Ribery and Mario Mandzukic. Mario Goetz's second half strike was the icing on the cake. It could have been worse though as five shots from Bayern players either hit the post or the crossbar.
The difference in levels between the two teams was evident from the outset. At the four minute mark, Bayern's Ribery was able to break through the Evergrande's defense forcing defender Zhang Linpeng no other option but to foul him. The resulting kick ended with a Bayern strike that rattled off the Evergrande crossbar.
At the start of the 10th minute, there was more evidence of how one-sided the match seeming almost as if Bayern was simply going through its pre-game half-court offensive drills. In the 11th minute, though, Bayerns attack was interrupted when Elkeson's cross shot from the right into the goal area was deflected out of bounds by Van Buyten narrowly missing the goal. However the resulting Evergrande corner kick was off target.
In the 16th minute, there were multiple Bayern passes into Evergrande's goal area including a precision pass from Lahm to Thiago at the front of the net. Thiago's point-blank shot though hit the post. In the 19th minute, Huang Bowen's foul to Ribery gave Bayern a free kick but Ribery shot sailed over the net.
The deadlock was broken right before the half in the 40th minute when Ribery volleyed Thiago's blocked shot past Evergrande goalkeeper Zeng Cheng for a 1-0 lead. Just four minutes later, off a back court steal, Thiago's fired a perfect cross to Mandzukic who headed it in as time expired.
At the beginning of the second half, Evergrande came out energized. They mounted a fierce counterattack which ended in a near miss from Evergrande's Muriqui that hit the side of Bayern's net. Bayern quickly regrouped and regained the offensive domination that they had held during the first half. In the 47th minute, Bayern's Goetz ripped a shot from 25 yards out that sailed into the upper corner of the goal that put the game away.
Goetz almost scored again in the 60th minute but the shot was wide. Ribery also had another chance to score in the 66th minute but his long shot hit the crossbar.
Line-ups:
Guangzhou Evergrande: Zeng Cheng, Zhang Linpeng, Feng Xiaoting, Jin Yingquan, Sun Xiang, Zhao Rui ( Fengjun Yan 77'), Huang Bowen (Rong Hao 46'), Zheng Zhi, Kong Ka, Elkeson, Muriqui (Gao 73')
FC Bayern Munich: Neuer, Rafinha, Boateng, Van Buyten, Alaba, Lahm, Thiago, Ribery (Sacchi 72'), Kroos (Martinez 58'), Goetz, Mandzukic (Pizarro 75')
