On a chilly night in Rome, Bayern Munich emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win against Lazio. The match showcased the German giants' dominance and tactical prowess, leaving the Italian side struggling to keep up.
From the opening whistle, Bayern displayed their attacking intent, pressing high and forcing Lazio into defensive errors. It was no surprise when Robert Lewandowski broke the deadlock in the ninth minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to slot home a clinical finish. The goal seemed to ignite Bayern's confidence as they continued to dictate play throughout the match.
No matter what Bayern Munich tried, the German club simply couldn’t find the goal.
None of Bayern’s 16 shots were on target Wednesday in a 1-0 loss at Lazio in the first leg of the Champions League’s round of 16.
Wednesday's match somewhat surprisingly marks just the third appearance in the knockout stages for the Italians. Lazio have been widely inconsistent this season, and are marooned in midtable in Serie A. But they will have been boosted by last weekend's win over Cagliari -- a victory that ended a three-match winless run.
Bayern Munich is a solid favorite to go into Lazio’s home stadium and take the first leg of their Round of 16 matchup. The club dips back into Champions League play running second in the German Bundesliga with a 16-2-3 record and a massive plus-37 goal differential in 21 games. Bayern went 5-1-0 to win the Champions League’s Group A with 16 points and earn its shot as the favored side over Lazio in the Round of 16.
Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano was sent off for a foul on Gustav Isaksen and Immobile sent goalkeeper Manuel Neuer the wrong way with the ensuing spot kick. The Italy forward has now scored Lazio’s last four goals in the competition, having reached the 200-goal mark in Serie A over the weekend.
The Bayern Munich vs. Lazio matchup in the UEFA Champions League is set to start at 3 p.m. EST on TUDN and UniMas. Live streams are available with offers from FuboTV (free trial) and DirecTV Stream (free trial). The match is also on Paramount+ (free trial).
Before kickoff, Bayern fans launched flares onto the field and filled the visitors’ section with fire and smoke.
After the final whistle, Lazio fans danced in the stands as techno music blasted through the stadium speakers.
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