Bayern Munich qualified for the second round of the Champions League courtesy of a narrow 1-0 win in the Czech Republic against Viktoria Plzen.
The hosts pressed high and were very well organised in the first half, restricting Bayern to mainly shots from range in the opening 45.
It took substitute Mario Mandzukic to score a header in the 65th minute, and although the visitors had a number of other chances were unable to make the score comfortable.
Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.
Hello everyone and thanks for joining me tonight. We have live commentaries of all eight Champions League games right here on SM, and I will be bringing you Viktoria Plzen against the holders Bayern Munich.
Last time Bayern surprised no-one but impressed everyone with their 5-0 win over Plzen. They are looking for all the world like they could go all the way yet again. The worrying thing for ever other team is that they have not hit top gear either.
It was Bayern's third win from their opening three games, albeit their easiest game on paper. They might have a more tricky time tonight, but should still have more than enough and it could be another hammering.
Pep Guardiola has such a strong squad to work with. Mario Gotze has worked his way into the lineup recently, but could well find himself dropped. The weekend also saw the return of Javi Martinez, with Philipp Lahm switching to right-back once more.
The teams are in and it's good news for Gotze who keeps his place, but Martinez is not yet ready to play two games in a row so is not in the XI.
PLZEN XI: Kozacik, Hubnik, Prochazka, Rajtoral, Cisovsky, Horava, Horvath, Petrzela, Kolar, Tecl, Duris
BAYERN XI: Neuer; Rafinha, Van Buyten, Contento, Alaba; Lahm; Muller, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Ribery; Gotze
Looking at the Bayern lineup it's most likely that Thomas Muller will be the striker, although Gotze has played as a false nine before so it could be that he will lead the line with his movement. Rafinha comes back in and Diego Contento partners Daniel van Buyten at centre-back.
It's not Bayern at full strength by any means, but isn't that still a lineup that most clubs in world football would want? No Martinez, Arjen Robben, Mario Mandzukic, Jerome Boateng or Thiago and they can still have that team. Incredible depth.
Plzen were on a poor run of form until the weekend. After being thumped by Bayern they did go two games without even scoring in the Czech league, however their hammering of Jablonec will give them a relative confidence boost for this one.
Bayern's 2-1 win over Hoffenheim at the weekend was their 36th game unbeaten in the Bundesliga. However, they have had to come from behind in their last three - surely at some point an opponent will hold a lead? Right? Not tonight, I'm almost certain of that.
Which brings me nicely to the odds. Don't get your hopes up of making any money from a Bayern win, though. The best for them is 2/13 while you can back Plzen - if you're nuts - at 22/1. Do let me know if you've stuck money on the hosts!
PREDICTION: It has to be a Bayern win. It has to be. It's always really hard to decide exactly how many they'll score, but as they hit five at home I think they'll get four tonight.
So just under 10 minutes to go until kickoff then. It's always a great occasion the Champions League group stage and I'd certainly like to see Plzen give it a real go tonight. Realistically they have little chance, but a goal could scare Bayern just a little.
Just a reminder. The other game in Group D tonight is Manchester City against CSKA Moscow. You can follow that right here, but I will keep you updated with the scores. City are the only team who can realistically stop Bayern winning the group but CSKA will not be easy for them.
The players are on the pitch and here comes the Champions League anthem. That tune ensures everyone watching is right up for this. It has to be said the pitch here is absolutely immaculate.
KICKOFF: The visitors in white get us underway tonight.
It's been a good start for the hosts. They have seen the ball already and are pressing right up to Manuel Neuer, who is almost pressured into a mistake. Great stuff from the Czech side. They could - and I think should! - have a penalty as Kolar looks to have been brought down by Contento.
It's still good from the hosts and Bayern are really struggling to get into the game. Petrzela does well down the right but is quickly closed down by Alaba, who eventually wins the throw.
Chance from a free kick here for Bayern, with Schweinsteiger stepping over it. He plays it short before Gotze does well to let it run before winning a corner from his cross. They're very gently turning the screw now after Plzen's strong start. Muller then has an effort but puts it low and right at Kozacik.
Lahm is fouled around 25 yards from goal mid-way through a one-two with Ribery. This is a very dangerous position for Alaba's left foot...
SAVE! Good effort from Alaba, but Kozacik knows exactly where it is going and gets across behind his wall to cling on. There wasn't enough power in the Austrian's strike.
They still haven't had a real chance, Bayern, despite seeing more and more of the ball. The defensive line is right up to the half-way line now, which is much more like what was expected.
POST! Schweinsteiger comes very close indeed to breaking the deadlock. His body strength was brilliant there as he created the space but his low effort hit the post and went back into play.
Plzen are looking threatening on the break as Tecl wins a corner following the post incident. Bayern are certainly more on their toes already than they needed to be at the Allianz Arena.
It's a really good game, which is down largely to Plzen who are really going for it. Schweinsteiger takes a lay-off from Ribery but tries to sidefoot from 25 yards and it's an easy save down low from Kozacik.
Another effort from Schweinsteiger but against it's easy for the goalkeeper. Toni Kroos did really well to find his vice-skipper, but it was a tough effort for him to beat Kozacik. At the other end it's a dangerous cross that Lahm does well to deal with.
Excellent goalkeeping from Kozacik who came out at the feet of Gotze to win the ball. It was a really swift counter-attack from Bayern involving Kroos and Ribery but the Plzen keeper read it all the way.
Dreadful tackle from Prochazka there. Ribery completely does him for pace down the right and his desperate lunge brings the Frenchman down. No card, though, probably in sympathy for how easily he was beaten.
BOOKING: Here is the first booking of the game, though. Hubnik is too slow and wrestles Muller to the ground as the German international glided past him. Kroos's free kick is poor, however, and Kozacik has it back.
Another stop from Kozacik, this time from a left-footed strike by Ribery not far outside the box. Still no way through, however, and most of their shots are coming from distance. Petrzela weaves through a couple of tackles but strikes his effort over. Then Kolar meets a cross but puts it over. Chances at both ends!
Good run from Alaba, who goes all the way from left back to the opposition by-line, before slipping as he stopped the ball to look at his options. Good job he's got a fantastic engine.
CHANCE! Petrzela breaks down the right and when his cross is headed out only as far as Horava, he wants too much time to control and his shot is quickly closed down. If he'd taken that earlier he might well have tested Neuer.
HALF-TIME: Viktoria 0-0 Bayern
So amazingly Plzen are holding Bayern into the break. And in fairness they deserve it too. Schweinsteiger did hit a post, but the German side have been restricted to half-chances throughout.
The hosts have even threatened at the other end. Petrzela down the right has been their key player with his direct style and Kolar has had a couple of chances. His best from a left-wing cross was a header that he put over.
In the other game in the group, Manchester City are leading CSKA 3-1 at the break. Sergio Aguero hit two and Alvaro Negredo one before Seydou Doumbia got a late goal to ensure that one is not over just yet.
I don't expect there to be any changes at the break - perhaps Guardiola will adjust one or two things, but Plzen will be delighted and will hope for more of the same.
KICKOFF: We're underway again for the second 45. I don't think there have been any subs.
Brighter start this time for Bayern. Gotze finds Lahm, who in turn gives it to Schweinsteiger but he is rapidly closed down and crowded out by four red and blue shirts. In the end the German concedes a goal kick - brilliant defending.
OFF THE LINE! Great defending again. Lahm is played in and shoots low with the outside of his foot, but Cisovsky reads it superbly and hacks it over the bar. It might have been going wide, but he wasn't to know.
Muller is really close to turning a flick-on from a Kroos free kick at the far post. Kozacik would have been beaten but Muller just could not get there. It's all Bayern this half and they're starting to create proper chances now.
Ribery the next to have something of a look-in but both bites he had at the cherry were blocked. The second from Prochazka was a bit fortunate as his back was turned. City have scored another and are now 4-1 thanks to Negredo's brace.
SAVE! That has to be a goal from Ribery. He gets clear down the left and has all the time in the world, but Kozacik makes himself big and he keeps it out. Really good goalkeeping.
BAYERN SUBS: Martinez comes on for Schweinsteiger, with Mario Mandzukic on for Muller.
BOOKING: Kolar becomes the next player booked and it was more for intent on Rafinha as he went in studs up. He did back away in fairness, but it's a risk going in like that.
GOAL! Plzen 0-1 Bayern (Mario Mandzukic)
Finally a goal! That's why it's vital to have a proper striker on the pitch as well! Lahm puts the ball right to the back post from 30 yards out and Mandzukic, powers a header into the opposite corner - sheer neck power. Great head.
Can Plzen get anything from this game after doing so well for 65 minutes? Rajtoral gets forward in an attempt to offer some width, but Kroos is across well. Horvath then gets booked for a tug on Ribery.
PLZEN SUB: Hubnik is coming off for Radim Reznik. Not a striker for a defender, then.
Corner for Plzen here following another attack down the right. Horvath takes it but it's comfortable headed clear by Contento. They come again through Tesl on the left side of the box, but Rafinha wins it off him and the danger has passed.
SAVE! Neuer tested there from a shot fro Tecl, but it was a comfortable save. They come again through Petrzela down the right and his magnificent cross along the six yard box cannot be reached by Tecl. So close.
Into the side netting from Mandzukic. Gotze heads a cross into the path of the Croatian and his own header goes into the near post side netting. Plzen break and Petrzela goes down too easily under slight pressure from Contento.
CHANCE! Gotze tries too much there. Martinez threads him through and Gotze tries to go around Kozacik, but the keeper gets a good touch. He then squares for Mandzukic but the ball is blocked as the Croatian shoots. Gotze hasn't impressed tonight.
Bayern are seeing all of the ball now, but while it's 1-0 Plzen are still in it. Pospisil comes on for Duris for the hosts to see if he can work that chance.
BAYERN SUB: Plzen can't get a touch on the ball as Bayern are seeing it out with some nice passing. On comes youngster Mitchell Weiser, who is making only his second Bayern appearance, for Gotze.
I don't think there will be another goal now. That's not profound, I'm aware, with just a minute to go, but I'm sure Plzen would have settled for 0-1 before the game started. Now, however, they might feel a little unlucky.
SAVE! Great stop from Kozacik, who dives low to his right to push away a Lahm half-volley. Three minutes of time have been added on. We're into the first of those.
FULL-TIME: Viktoria Plzen 0-1 Bayern Munich
BAYERN QUALIFY FOR ROUND OF 16: Bayern Munich match Barcelona's record of nine consecutive Champions League wins and in doing so qualify for the next round. They might have won by more but in the end did enough.
Thanks for joining me for this one. Please stay with us on SM for the latest results and reaction from tonight's games. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
