Football news - Bayern Munich cruise to win in AEK Athens to go top of Group E

Bayern Munich eased the pressure on their under-fire manager Niko Kovac by grinding out a 2-0 win away to AEK Athens in the Champions League.

The result puts the Bavarians in a strong position to make the competition’s last 16, lifting them to seven points from three group games, but Bayern Munich were made to work for a win that didn’t always look like coming.

It took them until the 61st minute to find the breakthrough, with Javi Martinez smashing home after a scramble in the box. Bayern doubled their advantage, and capped the scoring, just two minutes later when Robert Lewandowski finished from close range after good wing play by Rafinha down the left side.

The weekend win over Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga eased the pressure on Kovac, and this victory will further weaken the position of those who believe the Croatian should be sacked as Bayern Munich manager. Two wins in the space of just a few days should give the German champions a platform to build on going forward from this point, but Bayern must continue to improve because while the result might have acted as a response, the performance wasn’t necessarily.

This wasn’t a vintage Bayern Munich performance, with the Bavarians struggling to find their groove in the final third of the pitch for the majority of the match. But while the likes of Arjen Robben and James Rodriguez underwhelmed, Serge Gnabry was a constant threat on the left wing. The former Arsenal man faded in the second half, but his performance was surely noted by Kovac.

AEK Athens - Barkas 6, Bakakis 5, Lampropolous 5, Chygrynskiy 7, Hult 6, Galanopolous 5, Simeos 6, Bakasetas 6, Klonaridis 6, Mantalos 5, Ponce 6. Subs - Alef 5, Boye 5, Galo 5.

Bayern Munich - Neuer 6, Kimmich 6, Sule 5, Hummels 6, Rafinha 7, Martinez 6, Thiago 6, Robben 5, James 5, Gnabry 7, Lewandowski 7. Subs - Goretzka 6, Muller 5, Wagner 5.

20’ Almost an own goal! That's the closest we have come to an opener in Athens! Gnabry's cross was heading for Robben at the far post, but Chygrynskiy's slide tackle sends the ball just wide of the post.

61’ GOAL! AEK Athens 0-1 Bayern Munich: Bayern Munich finally have the opening goal! It's an ugly one, but Kovac won't care! The ball pinged around the AEK Athens penalty box and Martinez was on hand to smash home a finish. The Bavarians have the lead!

63’ GOAL! AEK Athens 0-2 Bayern Munich: It's a quickfire double for the German champions! Rafinha made the run on the overlap, got to the byline and threaded a pass right across the face of goal for Lewandowski to tap into the empty net! A very nice goal from Bayern Munich.

68’ Was that in? Lewandowski gets to the front post and flicks a finish towards goal. It slips under Barkas, but the AEK Athens keeper gets back to scramble he ball off his own line. Close one.