Bayern routs sorry Arsenal

MUNICH — Bayern Munich crushed Arsenal 5-1 in their Champions League round of 16 first leg Wednesday, scoring three goals in a dazzling 10-minute spell in the second half to extend its record to 16 consecutive home wins in the competition. [caption id="attachment_120529" align="alignright"] Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema (top) dives over Napoli’s goalkeeper from Spain Pepe Reina during their UEFA Champions League match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid Wednesday. — AFP
[/caption] Thiago Alcantara struck twice and Arjen Robben, Robert Lewandowski and substitute Thomas Mueller were also on target as the Bavarians inflicted Arsenal’s first defeat of the season in Europe’s premier club competition. Alexis Sanchez had equalized for the visitors, scoring on the rebound after Manuel Neuer saved his 30th-minute penalty but the Gunners suffered when captain Laurent Koscielny limped off injured to leave the defence exposed. In the other game in Madrid, Casemiro’s stunning volley crowned a superb display from Real Madrid, which fought back to beat Napoli 3-1 at the Bernabeu. The Brazilian midfielder thundered a spectacular right-foot shot into the net early in the second half to complete Real’s comeback, adding to efforts either side of halftime from Karim Benzema and Toni Kroos. Napoli, the top scorer in Serie A, grabbed an early goal when Lorenzo Insigne spotted keeper Keylor Navas out of position to curl the ball home from distance, but when Real clicked into gear it created chances at will. Bayern, who knocked out Arsenal at this stage of the competition in 2005, 2013 and 2014, got off to a perfect start when Robben curled an unstoppable trademark left-foot shot into the top corner of David Ospina’s goal. Arsenal leveled after being awarded a penalty for a handball by Lewandowski and Sanchez hooked home on the rebound after Neuer saved his spot kick. The game looked to have lost its pace early in the second half before Bayern stepped on the gas to fire three goals past the English side which collapsed when Koscielny went off injured in the 49th minute. Lahm floated a perfect cross into the box and Lewandowski rose high above defender Shkodran Mustafi to drill in a header in the 53rd minute. The Poland striker set up Thiago with a perfect flick for Bayern’s third goal three minutes later and the Spaniard grabbed his second with a low drive before substitute Mueller completed the rout two minutes from time. The English team is on course for a seventh last-16 exit in a row. The sides meet in the second leg in London on March 7. Holder Real, which is chasing a 12th European title and eyeing a seventh straight quarterfinal appearance, will travel to Naples for the return leg on March 7. Real was defending an enviable home record in the Champions League, having gone 11 games undefeated at the Bernabeu. The hosts were at the throats of their opponents within moments of the kickoff as Benzema forced a reflex save from Pepe Reina with barely 20 seconds on the clock. At that point it looked like it could be a long evening for Napoli, but the Italians were in no mood to lie down and took the lead to cap a frenetic opening after eight minutes. Insigne was fed through by Marek Hamsik and spotted Real keeper Navas out of position. Quick as a flash and with two defenders closing in, he bent a shot into the corner from 35 metres. The lead lasted 10 minutes as Real drew level when Dani Carvajal’s arrowed cross was headed powerfully into the net by Benzema, his 51st Champions League goal, lifting him into fifth on the all-time scorers list. The remainder of the half was spent mainly in Napoli territory. Its dominance, however, was rewarded four minutes after the restart as Ronaldo skipped to the byline and pulled it back for Kroos on the edge of the box to sidefoot calmly past Reina. Four minutes later Casemiro took the game, and perhaps the tie, away from Napoli with a stunning right-foot volley from 25 meters that left Reina flailing. — Reuters