Toni hits four as Bayern seal UEFA Cup progress
Updated: 2007-12-20 13:46
LONDON - Italy striker Luca Toni's four goals fired former European champions Bayern Munich into the knockout stages of the UEFA Cup after a 6-0 rout of Aris Salonika in their final group game on Wednesday.
 Bayern Munich's Italian striker Luca Toni (R) celebrates his second goal against Aris Thessaloniki with team mate Miroslav Klose (L) during their UEFA Cup Group F soccer match in Munich December 19, 2007. [Agencies] |
Victory in front of 64,000 fans in freezing temperatures in Munich sent the Bundesliga leaders through as Group F winners and means Bayern will avoid one of the eight third-placed Champions League sides who enter the last 32 draw on Friday.
Toni, fully fit after a recent hamstring strain, pounced twice from close range in the first half after blunders from keeper Konstantinos Chalkias and added two in quick succession midway through the second period.
Christian Lell and Philipp Lahm completed the demolition while Frenchman Franck Ribery was in sparkling form for Bayern.
"I'm glad we were able to make something up to our fans with the goal-scoring festival," coach Ottmar Hitzfeld told ProSieben television network after Bayern's comprehensive win erased memories of goalless draws in their last two league matches against Duisburg and Hertha Berlin.
"We totally dominated. It was just a question of time for the goals to start dropping in. I would have preferred if we could have got one or two of the goals in Bundesliga matches. But it's good that we broke the ice."
About Toni, Hitzfeld added: "Luca can smell where the ball might come through. He anticipates so well."
SNEAKED THROUGH
Bayern, who top the Bundesliga heading into the long mid-season break, handed a recall to keeper Oliver Kahn.
Kahn was hit with a 25,000 euros ($36,720) fine and a one-match suspension last week after he criticised two of his team mates and left the club's Christmas party early.
Aris were eliminated with Braga, 2-0 winners over Red Star Belgrade, and Bolton Wanderers, also progressing from the group.
Galatasaray, the 2000 winners, sneaked through as the third-place finishers in Group H after they drew 0-0 at home to Austria Vienna and Panionios contrived to lose 3-2 at home to a virtual Girondins Bordeaux reserve side after being 2-0 up.
Galatasaray went through on a better goal difference than the Greek outfit. Gala were three minutes away from elimination until Bordeaux substitute Wielfried Moimbe scored a late winner for the already-qualified French team to break the hearts of Athens club Panionios. Spain's Getafe finished top of Group G after a 2-1 home win over Belgian champions Anderlecht sent both sides through as Hapoel Tel Aviv, who began the night in contention, lost 3-1 at home to AaB Aalborg.
Progress is some relief for Anderlecht who have endured a dreadful season, failing to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League and sitting in a modest seventh in the Belgian championship, 13 points off the pace.
Bayer Leverkusen's impressive 5-0 win at Zurich, with Dmitri Bulykin scoring twice, sent the German side through as Group E winners. Spartak Moscow missed out on top spot after going down 2-1 at Toulouse.
Group winners will play the third-place finishers in the last 32 in February, playing the second legs at home, while the runners-up face one of the demoted Champions League sides. The final is in Manchester on May 14.
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