Benfica’s Raul Jimenez leaps over Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Benfica Lisbon at the Allianz Arena in Munich
Arturo Vidal’s early header was enough for Bayern Munich to beat Benfica 1-0 at home and take a slender advantage from the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal.
The Chilean midfielder struck in the second minute, heading home from five meters (yards) after being picked out by Juan Bernat.
Vidal had most of the chances for the rest of the game, with Benfica’s defenders doing well to stifle Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller, the home side’s top-scoring forwards.
Lewandowski missed the best opportunity to wrap it up in the 89th, when he sent a wayward pass for Philipp Lahm with an open goal beckoning.
“We had enough goal chances. We’ll go to Lisbon with the intention of winning the game, of scoring a goal or two,” Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said after his 150th competitive game in charge of the Bundesliga club.
Benfica reserve ‘keeper Ederson had to make a number of important blocks, with captain Nicolas Gaitan and Pizzi posing the visitors’ greatest threat at the other end.
“Sometimes a 1-0 win has to be enough,” Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said. “We’re going to Lisbon and know that it’s a close call.”
Bayern is bidding to reach its fifth consecutive semifinal, while the Portuguese league leader is hoping to reach its first since 1990.
In the night’s other quarterfinal, Luis Suarez scored twice to lead Barcelona to a 2-1 comeback victory over 10-man Atletico Madrid.
Vidal scored with Bayern’s first foray forward. Franck Ribery crossed for Lewandowski, who played the ball back out to Bernat in more space on the left. The Spanish full-back picked out Vidal in the middle with a precise cross.
“Of course it’s not nice, it wasn’t our plan,” Benfica coach Rui Vitoria said on conceding so early. “But we came with a plan and the players kept it tight. Of course, it could have knocked us off our stride. But we reacted very well.”
Bayern kept attacking, with Douglas Costa testing Ederson from the right. Ederson was playing in place of first-choice goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who was out with a groin injury.
Bayern was dominating possession with Benfica living on scraps. Pizzi and Gaitan combined for a well-worked free kick before the ball was deflected out for a corner.
On another free kick at the other end, Thiago Alcantara dinked a clever ball over for Mueller, but Ederson got down quickly to smother the danger.
Vidal went close with another header before Benfica finished the half strongly with Vidal making a painful-looking but important block to deny a fierce strike from Gaitan.
Victor Lindelof made a crucial interception on Lewandowski at the start of the second half, before the visitors resumed getting back in numbers and closing down space.
Benfica striker Jonas shot a good opportunity too close to the underworked Bayern goalkeeper before Bernat drew his shot wide at the other end.
Lahm, Javi Martinez and Alcantara then scrambled back to deny Jonas an equalizer.
Jonas had earlier picked up a yellow card, ruling him out of next week’s second leg through suspension.
Lewandowski could have given Bayern more breathing space, but appeared caught in two minds about whether to shoot or pass in what was Bayern’s best chance late on.
Despite the missed opportunity, Bayern has prevailed on each of the three occasions the sides have met in European competition.
“It’s not bad for us,” Bayern defender David Alaba said.
On the other match of the night, Luis Suarez scored two second-half goals to lead Barcelona to a 2-1 comeback victory over 10-man Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal.
Fernando Torres opened the scoring in the 25th minute, but quickly went from hero to villain for Atletico when two reckless tackles saw him sent off in the 35th.
Atletico resisted the defending champion’s push for an equalizer until Suarez finally leveled with an opportunistic goal in the 63rd.
Suarez then put Barcelona ahead in the 74th when he played Dani Alves wide before sending the Brazil defender’s cross past goalkeeper Jan Oblak with an unstoppable header.
“This is one of the worst days of my life as a football player,” Torres said. “I’m sad for having left my team with 10. In some way I feel responsible for the team not winning.
“I am sure that with 11 it would have been completely different.”
That view seemed to be shared by Suarez.
“Torres’s red card was crucial because everyone knows about the quality he has,” Suarez said after scoring his team-high seventh and eight goals in the Champions League this season.
“It was a shame because it would have been great to come back against 11 players. The most important thing is that we won and they will have to score in the Calderon.”
Barcelona’s fightback came three days after Real Madrid ended Barcelona’s Spanish record 39-match unbeaten streak with a 2-1 win at Camp Nou. AP
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