FC Bayern Munich secured a vital 1-0 victory over Benfica Lisbon in the Champions League, with Jamal Musiala scoring the decisive goal via a header in the 67th minute. Despite struggling to create clear chances, Bayern maintained composure against a resilient Benfica defense. Coach Vincent Kompany and players highlighted the importance of patience, acknowledging the need to adapt to the match’s challenges while celebrating the win as a boost to team morale.
FC Bayern’s Narrow Victory Against Benfica Lisbon
FC Bayern Munich savored a crucial victory over Benfica Lisbon in the Champions League, showcasing their ability to navigate a challenging match. Following the game, both the coach and players expressed their satisfaction with the team’s performance in this ‘patience game.’
Jamal Musiala Shines with a Header
Joshua Kimmich emphasized the need for ‘a lot of patience’ as Bayern edged past Benfica with a 1-0 scoreline, marking their second win of the Champions League season. Despite dominating possession throughout the match, the Bavarians struggled to create significant scoring opportunities until Jamal Musiala found the back of the net in the 67th minute, thanks to a well-placed header from Harry Kane. Musiala, surprised by his recent heading prowess, quipped, ‘I don’t know what’s going on with my heading right now,’ attributing his success to good positioning and a bit of luck.
Musiala acknowledged the team’s slow start, stating, ‘We all knew we had to win the game. We started a bit sluggishly.’ He recognized that a loss would have dashed their hopes of securing a top-eight finish for direct qualification to the round of 16. He concluded on a positive note, saying, ‘We need to keep having patience. We won’t win every game 4-0 or 5-0. Sometimes a 1-0 is enough.’
Joshua Kimmich noted the challenge posed by Benfica’s five-man defense, which made it difficult for Bayern to break through. ‘We didn’t expect that. Accordingly, it became a patience game,’ he reflected after the final whistle.
The game shifted in favor of Bayern following Leroy Sané’s substitution, leading to Musiala’s second header goal of the evening. Unlike their previous defeat against Aston Villa, Bayern’s defense stood strong, allowing only one shot from Benfica throughout the match. Kimmich praised the team’s hard work and defensive hunger, specifically highlighting Harry Kane’s contributions during defensive plays.
The atmosphere among the Bayern players remained upbeat despite the slender 1-0 victory. Max Eberl expressed his satisfaction, stating, ‘1-0 are the most beautiful victories.’ Coach Vincent Kompany emphasized the importance of such wins for team morale, appreciating how his squad managed to stay composed despite not scoring early. ‘We know that when we are really good, we can score a goal in the first five minutes. That wasn’t the case, and then you have to stay calm. We did that really well.’