Football
2017-18 UEFA Champions League, Group Stage
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Associated Press 7y

Bayern Munich tested by 10-man Anderlecht in UCL-opening win

Five-time champions Bayern Munich opened their Champions League campaign with a flattering 3-0 win over 10-man Anderlecht on Tuesday.

Bayern were still smarting after their first defeat of the season -- a 2-0 Bundesliga loss at Hoffenheim on Saturday -- and had been looking to respond emphatically in the Group B game.

Bayern have won 16 of their last 17 home games in the competition and any chance of an upset from Anderlecht seemed to vanish after 11 minutes, when last man Sven Kums was sent off for hauling down Robert Lewandowski. TV replays showed the contact was outside the penalty area, but the spot kick was awarded and Lewandowski dusted himself off to convert it.

Bayern failed to make the most of their man advantage, however. Opportunities were allowed to slip with wayward passes, epitomised by a loose ball from Corentin Tolisso for Franck Ribery, who would have been through and had already done well to instigate the move.

Then Adrien Trebel tested Manuel Neuer at the other end as the Belgian champions showed no sign of surrender. Another chance before the break had the stern-faced Carlo Ancelotti out of his dugout.

It got worse for Bayern after the interval when Alexandru Chipciu hit the post for Anderlecht, but that seemed to spur the home side and Joshua Kimmich crossed for Thiago Alcantara to settle the fans' nerves midway trough the second half.

Niklas Suele had another goal ruled out for an adjudged foul shortly afterward, but Kimmich scored in the final minute to secure all three points for the hosts.

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