Bayern edge out CSKA inside empty stadium

Thomas Mueller converted a penalty as Bayern Munich completed a narrow 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow at a deserted Arena Khimki.

But the German champions needed a contentious penalty to pocket the three points after Mario Goetze seemed to be fouled outside of the box by Mario Fernandes before landing inside the box.

Scottish referee Willie Collum was quick to point to the spot as Mueller kept his composure to drive the ball down the centre on 22 minutes despite slipping as Igor Akinfeev dived to his right.

The match was played behind closed doors after UEFA closed down the ground due to racist chanting at the ground by CSKA fans last year.

The home side fought gamely, but never really tested the Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with Roman Eremenko seeing a shot come off the bar and fly over in their best passage of play in the first period..

21' - PENALTY TO BAYERN! Fernandes sends Gotze crashing to the deck. Didn't really need to make that challenge.

22' - GOAL! Muller goes down the centre as Akinfeev dived to his right. A 1-0 lead for Bayern. Will be content with that scoreline.

32' - CHANCE! Muller with some more exciting play. Manages to get himself into a shooting position 25 yards from goal. Thumps the ball at goal from distance, but Akinfeev beats out the shot.

35' - CHANCE! Brilliant stop by Neuer to make the stop from Musa before Tosic fires miles over on the rebound. What a chance, but not snapped up.

39 - CHANCE! CSKA hit the bar! Brilliant effort by Eremenko as his swerving shot clips the top of the bar before flying over. Inches away with Neuer well beaten.

86' - CHANCE! Great little move by Bayern as Shaqiri runs onto the chipped ball by Lahm. Ball comes off Akinfeev. Inches wide of goal.

TALKING POINT: Should Bayern have had a penalty? Probably not. It happened so quickly you can understand why Collum pointed to the spot, but in hindsight it could easily have been a free-kick right on the edge of the home area. Bayern probably just merited the three points, but this was an uneasy night for them against Ahmed Musa and Zoran Tosic, who enjoyed some bright moments on the break.

Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich): A pretty forgettable match in a deserted ground, but Mueller was the man Bayern turned to in their moment of need. He and Arjen Robben were their usual bubbly selves as Bayern moved top of the Group E standings with CSKA bottom after their two outings.

Bayern: Neuer 7, Dante 6, Benatia 6, Bernat 6, Lahm 7, Alaba 6, Xabi Alonso 7, Götze 7, Lewandowski 7, Robben 8, Müller 8..subs: Rafinha 6, Shaqiri 6, Pizarro 6

CSKA: Akinfeev 7, Mário Fernandes 6, Ignashevich 7, Aleksei Berezutski 7, Vasili Berezutski 7, Schennikov 6, Tošić 6, Milanov 6, Eremenko 7, Natcho 7, Musa 7..subs: Efremov 6, Doumbia 6