Luca Toni
FRANKFURT, Germany - Bayern Munich beat Hansa Rostock 2-1 on first-half goals from Franck Ribery and Luca Toni to kick off the second half of the Bundesliga season on Friday.
Rostock got back into the match after Enrico Kern’s goal in the 52nd minute and Bayern was lucky to escape with the win that gave it a three-point provisional lead over Werder Bremen, which plays on Sunday against Bochum.
"The early goal in the second half unsettled us and we didn’t play real soccer after that," Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said. "But we took the three points and that’s what counts, although I am not happy with the way we played in the second half."
Bayern got off to a strong start and Ribery finished a smart move that began with Miroslav Klose’s pass to Ze Roberto. The Brazilian then swung a short pass inside and Ribery knocked the ball home from close range in the 11th minute.
Toni got his club-high 10th goal of the season in the 42nd, after a pass from Mark van Bommel, to crown Bayern’s dominance.
But Hansa stepped up the pressure after the break and Kern scored unchallenged after his first effort had been saved by Oliver Kahn.
Bayern didn’t have another chance until two late attempts by Toni, while Rostock should have gotten more out of several opportunities.