Gomez at double as Bayern flex muscles against City

FC Bayern München made a significant statement of their UEFA Champions League intent with a home victory against Manchester City FC in Group A.

Mario Gomez continued his rich vein of goalscoring form with two goals shortly before half-time as the German title holders extended their winning run to ten matches in all competitions. It was also Bayern's tenth successive clean sheet, though their resolve was tested in a bright start by City before sealing a win that maintains their two-point advantage at the top of the section.

Inspired by a capacity crowd, both sides began positively with the visitors fashioning the first chance. Micah Richards made early strides down the right and crossed low for Edin Džeko to fire into the grateful arms of Manuel Neuer. Bayern responded as Rafinha made his way to the byline, but his fierce centre was diverted beyond the lurking Franck Ribéry.

Yaya Touré tested Neuer with a free-kick midway through the first half as the English side enjoyed a good spell of the possession. However, Bayern's counters were becoming increasingly dangerous with Ribéry and Bastian Schweinsteiger each calling Joe Hart into action. Schweinsteiger then spurned a fine opportunity to open the scoring, clipping narrowly over after his run was picked out by Thomas Müller.

City failed to heed the warning and were two down by the interval. Having gone into the game on the back of nine goals in six outings, Gomez almost inevitably weighed in with both, first pouncing to turn in the rebound after Hart had denied both Ribéry and Müller on 38 minutes. The Bayern striker showcased his predatory instincts again on the stroke of half-time after Daniel Van Buyten's near-post header was parried into his path.

Rather than go in search of a reply, visiting coach Roberto Mancini opted instead to limit the damage in the second period by bringing on midfield stopper Nigel de Jong for striker Džeko. As a result it was Bayern who continued pressing, Schweinsteiger's fearsome drive pushed around the post by Hart midway through the half.

Hart was outstanding, his one-man mission to deny the four-time European champions a third goal reaching its apogee late on when he made a quality one-handed save to deny Gomez's glancing header. Müller could not quite turn it in at the far post, but the job was already complete. City, though, have much to do before their trip to Villarreal CF on 18 October, when Bayern are away to SSC Napoli.