Bayern 2-1 win over Sao Paulo n

Goal-scoring debuts for Klose and Altintop








Summer signings Miroslav Klose and Hamit Altintop marked first run-outs for their new club with the decisive goals as a Bayern XI defeated Brazilian cracks FC Sao Paulo 2-1 in Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon (local time).

A sell-out 40,000 crowd at the Hong Kong national stadium saw the Reds in surprisingly strong physical shape in a match commemorating the handover of the former British Crown Colony to Chinese rule exactly ten years ago. Klose (61) and Altintop (76) scored second-half goals to down the reigning Brazilian national champions, who had earlier taken a 19th minute lead through Marcel.

Starts for three newcomers

Bayern’s first starting line-up of the new campaign included the three summer signings who had made the trip to the Far East. Altintop lined up on the right of midfield, Jose Ernesto Sosa on the left and Klose up front alongside reserve hitman Sandro Wagner.

Making light of the 30-degree temperatures and 95% humidity, Bayern opened brightly and had the early chances via Andreas Ottl (3), Wagner (11), Philipp Lahm (13) and the influential Altintop (16, picture). Sao Paulo, represented by a reserve line-up with the senior side still in the thick of the Brazilian championship race, posed little threat until the 19th minute, when a delicate Rafinha lob found Marcel unmarked in front of Kahn. The striker duly stroked home to hand his side the lead.

Francisco Alex (26) and Cazumba (35) came close as Bayern wilted somewhat after the high-tempo opening, but Altintop twice fired in dangerously from long range as the sides turned round with Sao Paulo a goal to the good.

Miro and Hamit on target

Michael Rensing replaced Kahn and reserve midfielder Stefano Celozzi took over from Sosa as Bayern upped the tempo again after the interval. The reward arrived on the hour with the Bavarians’ first goal of the new term, a well-directed Klose header from Altintop’s floated corner. Spurred on by the deserved equaliser, the Reds created two good chances for Wagner (63, 65), before Klose was hauled back by Leandro when clean through on goal after 74 minutes, a foul which English Pemiership referee Mike Riley might have punished with a red card in a competitive match.

Justice was done when Altintop buried the resulting twice-taken free-kick, the ball taking a cruel deflection off Carlinhos on its way into the net. Munich subs Mats Hummels (85) and Daniel Sikorski (86) came close to widening the margin in the closing stages, but fortune also favoured the Germans at the death when Rensing (87) and the foot of a post (89) came between the Brazilians and an equaliser.


Bayern Munich 2-1 FC Sao Paulo (H-T: 0-1)

Bayern Munich: Kahn (Rensing 46) - Fürstner (Sikorski 71), Van Buyten, Demichelis, Lahm - Altintop, Van Bommel, Ottl (Hummels 81), Sosa (Celozzi 46) - Klose, Wagner

Referee: Mike Riley (England)

Attendance: 40,000

Goals: 0-1 Marcel (19), 1-1 Klose (61), 2-1 Altintop (76)

Bookings: - / Carlinhos