German team's hopes of finishing top of group vanish with shock 2-3 defeat to Rostov, who recorded their first ever win in the competition
Bayern Munich players wear a dejected look after their defeat to Rostov in the Champions League tie last night. Pic/AFP
Bayern Munich players wear a dejected look after their defeat to Rostov in the Champions League tie last night. Pics/AFP
Rostov-on-Don (Russia): Bayern Munich suffered a shock 2-3 defeat to minnows Rostov following a Christian Noboa's decisive free-kick.
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While the German giants had already sealed their progress to the knockout stage, they were still vying with Atletico Madrid for top spot in sub-zero conditions in Russia.
Goals from Douglas Costa and Serdar Azmoun left it level at half-time before two goals in as many minutes arrived just after the restart, Dmitry Poloz's penalty cancelled out by Juan Bernat's finish.
That left the points up for grabs and Noboa, clad in a beanie-style hat to avert the chill, claimed them when he found the bottom corner from 20 yards.
Rostov threatened early, But it was Bayern's Costa who scored at the other end
Rostov's Christian Noboa celebrates after scoring his team's winning goal off a free-kick during their Champions League encounter against German giants Bayern Munich at Rostov-on-Don's Olimp 2 Stadium in Russia last night
The Brazilian forward deposited a cool left-footed finish into the roof of the net from inside the area.
That was the club's 400th Champions League goal, a mark only previously reached by Real Madrid and Barcelona. Costa's opportunistic strike appeared to be enough to send the visitors into the break ahead but Poloz had other ideas, picking up possession in the 44th minute and slotting through Azmoun to make it 1-1.
Rostov drew next blood when Boateng was implicated again, clipping Noboa to concede a minute penalty which Poloz converted in the 50th minute. The idea of a shock had just started to form when Bayern wiped out the advantage in style.
Franck Ribery was the creator, measuring a perfect pass into the stride of the advancing Bernat. The Spaniard still need to find a finish and did so by hammering his shot emphatically beyond the beaten Soslan Dzhanayev.
Rostov did not settle for a morale-boosting draw and when a free-kick presented itself just outside the penalty area in a central position, Noboa took responsibility.
He approached the ball with a short, laid-back run but produced a fine effort, getting the ball over the wall and down again briskly to get the better of Ulreich.
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