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File Photo, Arjen Robben complains during Champions League match against FC Zurich Kerstin Joensson/AP/Press Association Images
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Basel v Bayern Munich

We went minute-by-minute as Bayern Munich crossed the Rhein to face FC Basel, could they grab an away goal?

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this evening’s action. E-mail sean@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_iepost a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Basel 1 – 0 Bayern Munich

Good evening, you’ve joined us just in time for kick off in St Jacob park, Basle.

Both teams are just listening to that lovely Champions League music itching to get playing some ball.

Here are those all important team-sheets for your perusal:

Basel: Sommer, Steinhofer, Abraham, Dragovic, Park, Shaqiri, Huggel, Xhaka, Fabian Frei, Alexander Frei, Streller.

Subs: Colomba, Degen, Kovac, Stocker, Cabral, Andrist, Zoua.

Bayern Munich: Neuer, Rafinha, Boateng, Badstuber, Lahm, Tymoschuk, Alaba, Robben, Kroos, Ribery, Gomez.

Subs: Butt, Pranjic, Gustavo, Petersen, Olic, Muller, Can.

Bayern straight into their rhythm here and franck Ribery should have given them the lead.

Robben played in the Frenchman who brilliantly dropped a shoulder to slip his marker six yards out. The keeper was able to spread himself and divert the shot away.

Up the other end and Basle have a half-hearted penatly claim as Rafinha tackles Streller. Move along nothing to see here.

Bayern are getting whistle at every touch, but look well in control wearing their uber-cool black kit.

Shaqiri is an inch away from getting a clear-cut chance, but Boateng gets in a vital desperate tackle to steal the ball away.

Yann Sommer is earning his francs tonight. Phil Lamb wins posession at the edge of basle area and slips Ribery in on the left edge of the area.

He really should have taken one of his two chances; coming in on his right foot, Sommer bats it behind for a corner.

Another deflected cross from the right almost pays dividends for Basle. Steinhofer whips in the ball deflected by Lamb and it bounces chest high. Streller pokes it goalwards but Neuer stands tall.

From the corner Basel are within millimetres of the lead. Streller again the man thwarted, his point blank header tipped onto the post by the German keeper.

I do not believe this. Frei has just smashed the ball against the underside of the bar.

Park picked out the striker with a lovely angled pass along the deck.

The striker whipped his left foot around the ball and it looked destined for the top corner, but somehow came back out.

Basel’s movement in attack is causing all sorts of trouble for the visitors.

The latest attack though is called back for offside, Frei a little too excited and doesn’t hold his run from Streller’s through ball.

Hell of a game this. it could easily be 3-3.

Sommer is called into action again after Frei lost possession and Robben dribbled his way up the right wing.

Alaba gets the shot in from distance, good save.

Ribery v Sommer III

Same result, Sommer saves from a low 25 yard blast from the former Marseille star.

Five minutes before half time and Bayern are enjoying a good spell of possession and territory.

With the game less stretched now though, Basel are able to commit plenty of bodies to get in the way.

Amazingly, the half time whistle has gone in St Jakob Park and we are scoreless.

It could well stay that way if the last five minutes are anything to go by, but chances aplenty otherwise.

Strap yourselves in, the second half is under way.

No changes made by either coach.

Shaqiri with an early reminder of why Bayern want him. A nice little turn of pace on the left wing and digs out a cross.

Streller gets room to head the ball, but it’s easily saved by Neuer.

In case you’re wondering: Marseille v Inter Milan has also just restarted after half time. It’s goalless there ‘n all.

Those last five minutes of the first half now look like they were a pretty good preview.

Much less exciting since the break, Alaba has just drove a shot wide from distance.

But wait, Robben has a half chance to dribble at a defender. Free kick right on the edge of the area…

Scramble. Robben smashes his shot at the feet of the wall and his follow up volley is blocked too.

Ribery keeps the pressure on, heading back towards goal. Gomez attempts an over head kick and connects, but it’s weak and straight at Sommer.

Ooh, Lamb comes close to a spectacular opener. The fullback cut in from the left and let fly with his right foot.

Once again Sommer has the answer. This game will need a howler of a mistake or a precise finish. These goalkeepers are both in fine form.

Hmm, Franck Ribery storms off as his number is put up on the substitution board.

Thomas Muller is his replacement.

Muller is instantly in the action and is booked.

His through ball from the left wing puts Gomez through one-on-one, another save.

The ball rebounded high and Muller, following him up threw himself up bravely to try and head the ball / rattle a confident keeper.

Muller is booked, Sommer gets a short bout of treatment and we’re back in action.

Tymoschuk with a horrendous pass in midfield has the home side breaking towards goal. Luckily for him Boateng cuts out the cross from Shaqiri and it lands back at the feet of Tymoschuk. He misplaces another pass, but his team-mate wins it back quickly.

Bayern are trying to build up a head of steam, Muller has definitly made them more direct and he links with Lamb who in turn feeds Robben.

The winger changes pace to fashion a shot left of the six yard box but this time it is blocked.

You have to hand it to Basel, they are not phased by anyone.

Streller charges down Lamb and races to the by-line. His cross for Frei is just about hooked away.

Just under 10 minutes to go in Basel. A little more than that in Marseille. Did I mention there were no goals in either game? Sigh.

GOAL! Basel take a deserved lead.

Zoua is only just on the field and he dribbles unchecked along the German’s 18 yard line and slips through ball left for Stocker, another substitute with a cleanly struck left-foot drive between Neuer’s legs.

Bayern are chasing this now, the crowd are baying for a red card as Muller continues to throw his weight around – just a talking to.

Ivica Olic is on the field to provide some extra firepower.

This is going to the wire. Rafinha’s cross finds Robben. he Lamb and Olic all have touches in the box, but their back is to goal.

Zoua takes an air-shot at a clearance and knees Olic in the face. It’s a funny old game.

The flags are waving with glee in St Jakob Park. The home side are running down the clock with a corner in enemy territory.

FULL TIME: There you have it, Basel pull off another shock win in the Champions League. 1 -0 thanks to a very well taken goal from Valentin Stocker.

This Basel outfit fear nobody. Munich must be confident of getting a result in the return leg, but they fancied their chances here too.

Impossible to argue this victory was not deserved, but it could have been very different had Franck Ribery taken any of his glorious early chances.

Still, there were chances not taken at either end. Basel hit the inside of the woodwork twice in that opening period so, on that basis, they thoroughly deserve to take a lead back across the Rhein.

There was also a late goal in Marseille. The hosts win their first leg thanks to and Andre Ayew shoulder.

Thanks for logging on folks, these two ties are well in the balance.

Both Marseille and Basel left it late, but they each have something to protect when they cross the border for the second leg.

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