In Wednesday’s Champions League round of 16 first-leg match, hosts Lazio defeated 10-man Bayern Munich 1-0 thanks to a penalty kick in the 69th minute by Ciro Immobile.
Immobile scored from the spot after Dayot Upamecano of Bayern made a foolish challenge on Gustav Isaksen, which resulted in the France international receiving a straight red card.
Bayern was helpless the whole game, failing to get a single effort on goal as disciplined Lazio blocked the German team’s efforts.
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Bayern hasn’t failed to record at least one shot on goal in a competitive encounter for the first time since February 2019, according to ESPN Stats & Info. With 17 shots, they became the most a team without a shot on goal in a UEFA Champions League match since 2010–11.
The Bavarians were five points off the top of the Bundesliga after losing 3-0 to leaders Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. They were keen to get back after that setback.
After losing for the second consecutive game, coach Thomas Tuchel and his team will face increased pressure when they return to Munich. In their last two games, they have failed to score.
“We got off to a good start; we had chances via Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala in the first minute. In the first half, we controlled the game,” remarked Tuchel.
However, our performance mysteriously declined in the second. We lost focus, committed too many individual mistakes, and strengthened our opponents. Our rhythm was gone.
“We had full responsibility for it. We lost a game today that seemed impossible for us to lose in the first half.”
Tuchel downplayed worries about his circumstances.
Concerned about my prospects? “No, I’m not,” he declared.
Joshua Kimmich and Kane both had early chances but missed the mark as Bayern got off to a strong start and pressured the Italians high.
Three years prior, the Italians had fallen 6-2 on aggregate to Bayern at this point. In response, Luis Alberto fired a shot that went wide of Manuel Neuer’s goal.
The pace gradually slowed as Bayern battled the disciplined Italian defence and had to wait until the 40th minute to pose another threat when Musiala curled a close-range shot over the crossbar.
Two minutes after the restart, Isaksen had only Neuer to beat, and Lazio could have taken the lead, but the keeper kept his ground and blocked his attempt.
When Immobile found Isaksen in the box and Upamecano arrived late, stepping on his ankle, the Dane was given a penalty.
To give his club the lead heading into the return leg in Munich on March 5, Immobile maintained his composure and sent Neuer the wrong way.
“We worked and prepared for this match to have a say in it,” Immobile stated. “I had no doubt that the team would give it their all.
“We had some opportunities and we had to be good at exploiting them ahead of the return match and we did just that.
