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| Bordeaux' have qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League [AFP] |
French champions Girondins Bordeaux booked a place in the Uefa Champions League knockout round with a 2-0 win at Bayern Munich.
Yoann Gourcuff opened the scoring after 37 minutes and Marouane Chamakh added a late second to guarantee Bordeaux, with 10 points, a top two finish in Group A.
Juventus are second on eight points after a 1-0 win at Maccabi Haifa, leaving Bayern in third spot on four points and facing an uphill battle to qualify.
Bayern, with Luca Toni partnering Miroslav Klose up front instead of Mario Gomez, missed several good chances and hit the woodwork after just three minutes when Edson Braafheid's cross was palmed on to the bar by Bordeaux keeper Cedric Carrasso.
The Dutch defender then tried his luck from the other wing, curling a 20-metre left-footed free-kick just over.
Bayern struggling
Bayern, now with only one win in their four group matches, were spectacularly denied again by Carrasso in the 32nd when he punched away Bastian Schweinsteiger's free-kick.
In a subsequent goalmouth scramble, Michael Ciani cleared a Klose shot off the line, although television replays showed the Bordeaux player had touched the ball with his hand.
But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock against the run of play when Brazilian Wendel sailed a free-kick high into the box and Gourcuff slipped past Mark van Bommel to head in.
Bayern coach Louis van Gaal brought on winger Arjen Robben in the second half and the Dutchman immediately added some pace to their game.
Toni squandered their best chance seconds after the restart when he shook off Ciani but fired over from 12 metres before Robben's left-footed drive flew just wide on the hour.
The hosts grew impatient, worn down by a double defensive line, and began giving away possession in midfield.
Chamakh took full advantage of weak defending by Holger Badstuber to sprint clear and fire in Bordeaux's second goal in the final minute.
Juventus stay on track
In the group’s other match Mauro Camoranesi scored in first-half injury time as Juventus won 1-0 at Maccabi Haifa to move within another victory of progressing.
Camoranesi fired the ball into the top corner on the half volley following a cross by Martin Caceres just before halftime was blown.
Despite a concerted effort, it was the fourth time in four groups that Haifa failed to score.
Juventus has eight points in Group A, two back from Bordeaux, which beat Bayern Munich 2-0 to move into the next round. Bayern is third with four points, and Maccabi is last with zero points.
Juve coach Ciro Ferrara was delighted, three days after his team gave away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Napoli in the Serie A.
"I am happy we won, the players played well,'' Ferrara said. "They played with their head, not only with their feet.''
By contrast, Maccabi Haifa midfielder Gustavoi Boccoli was again disappointed with his team's form in front of goal. The Israelis are the only team not to have scored in the Champions League group stage so far.
"It isn't enough just to try and try, at this level, you need experience. We are learning,'' the Brazilian said.
"We still have two games left and a goal will come. If you look at the statistics, you can see that it isn't that we aren't taking enough shots. The ball just isn't going in.''
Maccabi appeared frustrated throughout the game, none more so when striker Shlomi Arbeitman's close-range shot hit the post after a goal-mouth scramble in the 31st minute.
Diego stands out
Juventus playmaker Diego was a standout player, terrorising the defence, especially during a 20-minute period in the first half.
The Brazilian's best chance came in the sixth minute when he received the ball from Camoranesi, evaded the defence and powered a shot that goalkeeper Nir Davidovitch pushed away for a corner.
Davidovitch was tested on numerous occasions and was largely responsible for only conceding one goal.
Maccabi Haifa grew in confidence as the half progressed, pushing forward when possible.
But while the hosts were unable to find the net, Camoranesi showed his experience with a clinical finish just before halftime.
The Argentine-born Italy international arrived in the box to meet Caceres' pass and volleyed in beyond the reach of Davidovitch.
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