After two missed penalties and a red card, it was a spectacular Toni Kroos goal and then a clincher from Thomas Muller that gave Bayern Munich a 2-0 away win against Arsenal that pretty much gives them the spot in the quarterfinals.
Arsenal started well and even got a penalty kick after 8 minutes. Mesut Ozil weaved his way into the box and was clipped by Jerome Boateng. The German, in great need of a confidence boost after a couple of rough months didn’t look like someone who truly believed he was going to score from the penalty spot. He chipped it to the middle and Manuel Neuer, in a world class display while Arsenal were still capable of creating chances, stopped the shot.
Bayern Munich got their chance from the penalty spot a bit later, but their set piece came with a bonus: Sczcesny fouled Arjen Robben in front of goal and was sent off (the right decision). However, David Alaba, something of a weak link on the day for Bayern, sent the ball to the post and then wide. Arsenal stopped playing from that moment, and spent the rest of the match trying not to concede.
That worked until the 54th minute. Kroos, Bayern’s best player on the day, was left wide open by Jack Wilshere (or was it Flamini who missed the assignment) and showed just how good of a long range shooter he is with a perfect curler that landed in Fabianki’s net. Arsenal, with substitutions, had no answer to the pressue and ball movement, and were forced to continue and watch Bayern move the ball from side to side, looking for the second goal.
Eventually it came from Thomas Muller, coming off the bench to finish the match with a perfect chip from Philipp Lahm (two assists), giving Bayern Munich a two goal lead from their visit to the Emirates for a second consecutive season.
Another season with a knockout for Arsenal in the knockout stage? They almost turned things around a year ago but it seems that even with the improved team Wenger has upgraded, the Bayern Munich hurdle is simply too difficult to jump over once again.