Bayern triumphed 2-1 at the Allianz Arena with only ten men after the first half sending off of Mark van Bommel. The Dutchman was shown two yellow cards for persistent fouling after Mimoun Azaough had fired Bochum ahead.
A Lucio header equalised in the first half before Franck Ribéry stroked home a second half penalty. Christian Lell finished things off late on to hand Bayern a potentially vital three points.
First Half
Bayern knew that a win would see them go nine points clear at the top of the table and they began brightly with Ribéry missing a good chance after just three minutes.
Lell broke down the right, crossed to Luca Toni, who controlled the ball instantly before laying the ball off to Ribéry. The Frenchman however didn’t wrap his foot around the ball enough and fired wide when everybody expected him to stroke it into the back of the net.
Sixty seconds later though and the visitors took a shock early lead. Danny Fuchs played the ball to Mimoun Azaough just outside the penalty area and the midfielder let fly with a speculative shot that caught Oliver Kahn by surprise as it flew into the top corner of the net.
Despite the early set back, Bayern continued to try and play their normal game and very nearly grabbed the equaliser on the quarter hour mark through Ribéry.
A back heel from Zé Roberto fed Luca Toni and he cleverly found the forward run of Ribéry. Through on goal, the French winger however was only able fire narrowly wide with only Lastuvka to beat.
Bochum continued to look lively as well and nearly caught Bayern napping on 20 minutes with a quickly taken corner from Azaough. His pass was hit first time by Fuchs but fizzed just wide of Oliver Kahn’s post. Bayern for their part were not taking their foot off the gas either and were keeping the Bochum back line occupied.
Firstly Maltritz had to be on his toes to clear the ball before Zé Roberto could shoot, then Demichelis flicked on for Lucio to fire just wide of Lastuvka’s goal.
Bayern suffered a further setback on 27 minutes when midfielder Mark van Bommel saw his second yellow card of the afternoon for persistent fouling and was promptly sent off by referee Weiner.
The home side however reacted to the red card by promptly grabbing the equaliser on 31 minutes. Bastian Schweinsteiger fired in a free kick from the right hand side into the six-yard box where Lucio jumped the highest to nick the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
Five minutes later and the scene was very nearly repeated with Toni rising to head a Schweinsteiger free kick, only for Lastuvka to save. Bayern weren’t playing like a team with ten men and Ribéry fired in another fine effort after foxing Yahia on the edge of the area.
Second Half
The impressive Azaough had to be replaced at the start of the second 45 minutes due to an ankle injury with Tommy Bechmann coming on.
Bayern began on the front foot and Ribéry got himself to the bye-line three minutes in before crossing to Demichelis, who couldn’t manage to direct his header under pressure from Bönig.
Bochum’s first chance of the second half fell to Benjamin Auer on the hour mark after he beat Martin Demichelis but Kahn was on hand to save with relative ease.
Just after the hour mark Bayern were shouting for a penalty when Lell went down in the area under the challenge of Yahia but the referee waved their appeals away.
Bayern continued to look the more likely to score, even with their man disadvantage. On 69 minutes Ribéry crossed from the left and Luca Toni saw his header fly just wide of the right hand post.
Then with around 15 minutes remaining Bayern were handed a penalty after Pfertzel handled in the Bochum Area. Frank Ribéry stepped up and beat Jan Lastuvka even though the Czech keeper guessed the right way.
Bochum made a few substitutions in an effort to regain parity and with eight minutes left Bönig crossed causing Demichelis problems. He eventually cleared the danger with Auer sniffing around.
Bayern sealed the win on 88 minutes with Christian Lell advancing and putting the finishing touches to a fine move involving Klose and Toni. Luca Toni had a golden chance to make it four late on, but he missed the target narrowly.
Goals:
0-1 Azaough (4)
1-1 Lucio (31)
2-1 Ribéry (74 pen)
3-1 Lell (88)
Bayern Munich: Kahn, Lell, Lahm, Lucio, Demichelis, van Bommel, Zé Roberto (Sosa 72), Schweinsteiger (Ottl 65), Ribéry, Toni, Podolski (Klose 65)
Bochum: Lastuvka, Pfertzel, Maltritz, Yahia, Bönig, Imhof, Schröder (Mieciel 79), Fuchs (Epalle 76), Azaough (Bechmann 46), Sestak, Auer
Mathew Burt
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