<span class="titolo">Bayern Quality Overcomes Brave Bochum</span></p> <span class="sommario">A gutsy performance from Marcel Koller's Bochum was not enough to deny Bayern Munich, as goals from Ribery and Schweinsteiger fired the Bavarians to yet another win.</span></p> A near capacity crowd at the Rewirpower Stadion witnessed an entertaining match which saw brave Bochum downed 2-1 by the quality of Bayern Munich.</p> Bochum trainer Marcel Koller would have been delighted with the start his side made to the game. The Bochum eleven came out full of energy, focussed and hungry to challenge for every ball.</p> Eleven minutes in and their efforts were rewarded when they took the lead. Maltritz cut out a pass on the half way line and fed Dennis Grote. The 21 year old set off on a mazy run, beating Demichelis, before cutting inside both Lell and Altintop before curling a sensational left foot finish past the helpless Michael Rensing in the Bayern goal.</p> Although shocked, Bayern kept up their own pressure and two minutes later Hamit Altintop forced a good save from Jan Lastuvka following a long-distance direct free kick. On 18 minutes Frenchman Franck Ribéry went on a similar run to Grote, but his shot was always rising and ended up well over.</p> Bayern’s class started to show and it seemed only a matter of time before their quality overcame Bochum’s effort and determination. Klose, van Bommel, Altintop and Toni all had half chances, but were unable to really test the Bochum keeper.</p> Bochum captain Thomas Zdebel was forced off after 25 minutes with a suspected hamstring injury at just the time his side needed him the most. Ten minutes before the half-time whistle and Bayern’s pressure finally paid off with the equaliser.</p> Marc Pfertzel dallied on the ball on the edge of the penalty area and was robbed by Miroslav Klose. The German international was quickly into the box and unselfishly squared the ball to the incoming Ribéry. A cheeky close range finish bamboozled Lastuvka to hand Bayer a deserved equaliser.</p> The second half started with Bayern pressing and after good combination play Zé Roberto was denied bravely by Lastuvka. Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side continued to dominate possession as the second half developed, but without the pressure of the first period.</p> On 64 minutes Ribéry fired over after being played in again by Klose, but Bochum were not without their own moments of danger. Both Schröder and Epalle had chances which they should have done better with. </p> With fifteen minutes left Marcel Koller sent on the Pole Marcin Mieciel to replace Joel Epalle and the international was an instant threat, although he was rather curiously booked by referee Fandel for a dive when it appeared he was fouled by van Bommel.</p> However, it was Bayern who sealed the three points when substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger put the finishing touch on another fine Bayern move. Lucio sprayed the ball wide to Ribéry, who rather than cross the ball into the six yard box, pulled it back to the penalty spot for the incoming Schweinsteiger to fire past Lastuvka bravely under a heavy challenge from Maltritz.</p> In the end Bayern's quality was more than a match for Bochum's gutsy performance. The home side battled long and hard but a Ribery inspired Bayern ended up as deserved winners.</p> 1-0 Grote (11 min)</p> 1-1 Ribéry (35 min)</p> 1-2 Schweinsteiger (78 min)</p> Bochum: Lastuvka, Concha, Yahia, Maltritz (Drsek), Pfertzel, Schröder, Zdebel (Imhoff), Sestak, Epalle (Mieciel), Bechmann, Grote</p> Bayern Munich: Rensing, Lell, Jansen, Lucio, Demichelis, van Bommel, Zé Roberto, Altintop (Schweinsteiger), Ribéry (Schlaudraff), Toni, Klose (Podolski)</p> </p> Ribery - the magician </p> </p>
