Bayern edges past Cluj in Munich

Bayern edges past Cluj in Munich

Published Oct. 19, 2010 10:05 p.m. ET

Bayern Munich notched a third straight Champions League victory by beating Cluj 3-2 with the help of two own goals from the Romanian team on Tuesday.

Cluj's captain Cadu scored in the 28th minute, only to concede an own goal in the 32nd.

Cristian Panin then found his own net in the 37th, before Mario Gomez hit Bayern's third in the 77th, again with plenty of help from Cluj. Juan Culio scored another for Cluj in the 86th.

"We have to thank them," Gomez said. "All three were strange goals."

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Bayern, last season's runner-up, leads Group E with nine points from three matches. Cluj has three points, the same as AS Roma and Basel, which won 3-1 in the Italian capital.

"We had a lot of luck," Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said. "But I think we deserved to win. It's tough going against a teams that defend with 10 men."

Cadu scored at the far post, sneaking in behind Bayern's defense to head in a deep cross from Roberto De Zerbi. Four minutes later, Cadu found his own net, deflecting home a poor attempt by Toni Kroos.

Panin conceded an own goal with a clumsy deflection of an incoming corner cross from Holger Badstuber, but his side nearly pulled a goal back when Lacina Traore struck Bayern's post just before the break after a counterattack.

Bayern kept Cluj defending in the Romanians' half but the visiting team always looked dangerous on the break and Joerg Butt did well to save a good shot by Ioan Hora in the 71st minute.

Bayern's third came from Gomez but Cadu again played a major role. Goalkeeper Eduard Stancioiu blocked an effort by Kroos, Cadu tried to clear the loose ball but hit Gomez and the ball bounced back into the net, through Stancioiu's legs.

Gomez was a coming off a hat-trick performance in the Bundesliga against Hannover and has now scored in his last three games. He hadn't scored a goal for Bayern for eight months until last weekend, spending much time on the bench under coach Louis van Gaal.

With Bayern's defense in disarray, Culio's late shot bounced off the inside of the post to inject more suspense into the last few minutes.

Cluj had another good attack in injury time but Anatoliy Tymoshchuk made a key sliding clearance.
 

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