Bayern reach knockout stage : UEFA Cup

Published December 21, 2007

LONDON, Dec 20: 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.

Victory 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 goal-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.

Bayern, who top the Bundesliga heading into the long mid-season break, handed a recall to goal-keeper Oliver Kahn.

Kahn was hit with a 25,000 euros 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. The final is in Manchester on May 14.

Results:

Group E

FC Zurich 0 Bayer Leverkusen 5

Toulouse 2 Spartak Moscow 1

Group F

Bayern Munich 6 Aris Salonika 0

Braga 2 Red Star Belgrade 0

Group G

Getafe 2 Anderlecht 1

Hapoel Tel Aviv 1 AaB Aalborg 3

Group H

Galatasaray 0 Austria Vienna 0

Panionios 2 Girondins Bordeaux 3

—Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...