müller makes difference for bayern at cska published: tuesday 30 september 2014, 20.01cet pfc cska moskva 0-1 fc bayern münchen thomas müller's 22nd-minute penalty gave josep guardiola's side a second straight 1-0 win in group e. by richard van poortvliet from arena khimki
• bayern make it two group e wins from two at cska in game played behind closed doors • second successive 1-0 victory thanks to thomas müller's first-half penalty • home side left to rue poor finishing despite a spirited performance • ıgor akinfeev concedes for 23rd consecutive uefa champions league match • next games: cska v manchester city, roma v bayern (21 october)
fc bayern münchen made it two uefa champions league wins from two games, edging out pfc cska moskva on a cold damp night.
last season's semi-finalists dominated possession from start to finish, although a thomas müller penalty midway through the first half was all they had to show for their endeavours. the army men produced a much improved performance after their 5-1 reverse in rome two weeks ago and, but for better finishing, might have claimed their first point of this season's campaign.
given cska's problems with injuries and suspensions, it was always going to be a tall order against bayern. the visitors took control of possession and territory from the outset and should have had the lead after nine minutes, mario götze blazing over the bar.
despite that bayern pressure, home goalkeeper ıgor akinfeev was not called into action until the 22nd minute; then he had to pick the ball out of the net after götze was brought down by mário fernandes. müller sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot, stretching akinfeev's run without a uefa champions league clean sheet to 23 matches.
the pace of ahmed musa had caused the german title holders a few problems and the nigerian managed to evade mehdi benatia's challenge to put himself through on goal only to be denied by manuel neuer. from the rebound, zoran tošić had an equally good opportunity but the finish was wild.
cska came closer still before the break as roman eremenko rattled the bar with a curling effort, although at the other end götze almost doubled the advantage. the russian champions made an encouraging start after the interval, musa again looking to get in behind the bayern defence while tošić also threatened from an acute angle.
as in the opening period, bayern were content to manage possession and patiently wait for a way through cska's resolute defence. seydou doumbia was introduced midway through the second half to try and introduce more attacking menace for leonid slutski's side but it was bayern who went closest to a second goal, the lively götze curling wide from just outside the box.
