Champions League - Bayern ease past Fiorentina

Cool finishing and a touch of luck in defence helped Bayern strengthen their grip on Champions League Group F with a 3-0 win over Fiorentina.

Miroslav Klose raced through the middle to open the scoring in the fourth minute, Bastian Schweinsteiger cracked in the second midway through the first half and Ze Roberto made certain of victory in the 90th minute.

While Bayern were lethal in front of goal, they made regular mistakes at the back and were fortunate when Felipe could only shoot weakly when well placed in the first half and Adrian Mutu headed wide from a great position with 15 minutes to go.

With three games played, Bayern lead the group with seven points, ahead of Olympique Lyon on five. Fiorentina have two points and Steaua Bucharest one.

Bayern made an aggressive start and had already gone close a couple of times when Luca Toni, playing against his old club, put a flick header into the path of Klose to pick his spot.

The Bavarians kept coming and scored a fine second when Juan Manuel Vargas failed to stop a cross-field pass from Franck Ribery reaching Schweinsteiger, who stepped back inside before shooting across the keeper and in.

Bayern's comfort on the ball contrasted with their nervousness in defence.

Michael Rensing is finding it difficult to establish himself as Oliver Kahn's successor in goal and his poor judgment on crosses would have spelled trouble had Alberto Gilardino been able to react more sharply on two occasions in the first half.

Fiorentina saw more of the ball in the second half but the closest they came to getting back in the game was a 30-metre shot from Zdravko Kuzmanovic that skidded wide, before Mutu's badly directed header let Bayern off the hook again.

Lukas Podolski, on for the injured Toni, went close before Ze Roberto strolled through the defence to round things off.

Steaua Bucharest 3-5 Lyon

Two goals each from Karim Benzema and Fred helped Olympique Lyon come from behind to beat Steaua Bucharest in the other, thrilling Champions League Group F match.

Steaua led 2-0 after 10 minutes thanks to Brazilian striker Arturo's header and a goal from central defender Dorin Goian.

Kader Keita pulled one back with a volley after a Juninho cross before Benzema headed in an equaliser in the middle of the first half.

Ovidiu Petre put Steaua ahead again when he headed home a corner just before the break.

The visitors looked a constant threat and their pressure paid off handsomely after the break.

The French champions drew level at 3-3 when Fred grabbed a 70th-minute goal from a rebound.

Steaua keeper Robinson Zapata made several good saves but could not prevent Benzema slotting home in the 73rd after a 40-metre free kick by Juninho that shot over the Steaua defence, giving Lyon the lead for the first time in the match.

Brazilian forward Fred scored his second in stoppage time to make certain that the three points went to Lyon.
Reuters (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/champions-league/)