Bayern battle past lowly Lille

Bayern Munich bounced back from their shock loss to BATE Borisov in their previous Champions League outing to edge past Lille 1-0, courtesy of Thomas Müller's penalty.

The game's deciding goal came in the 20th minute after a rather soft penalty decision. English referee Martin Atkinson awarded a spot-kick to the visitors after captain Philipp Lahm went down in a heap after the slightest of contacts from Lille's Lucas Digne. Müller assumed the responsibility and comfortably sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.

The workmanlike victory in France means Valencia, BATE and the record German champions are all locked on six points at the half-way stage of Group F.

After the defeat in Belarus, last year's finalists found themselves under early pressure in a group they were expected to coast. The lack of a performance aside, the result and the subsequent three points were all that mattered against a struggling Lille side who languish in 11th spot in Ligue Une. 

These sentiments were echoed by a relieved Bayern. "We ground out the win today," acknowledged boss Jupp Heynckes, "we didn't play particularly well. The important thing in games like that is to win." Franck Ribéry echoed his boss's comments: "It wasn't easy today. Sometimes you have an off day, but the important thing is to come away with the three points."

After this win in Lille, this campaign has seen Bayern win 12 of their last 13 competitive matches.