German giants Bayern Munich expectedly thrashed Indian national team 4-0 in Baichung Bhutia’s farewell match, which had little in quality but made up by big response from the fans on Tuesday.
Around 35,000 crowd watched the match at the floodlit Jawaharlal Nehru stadium but the national team, led for the last time by Baichung, was no match for the highly fancied Bayern Munich side who had overwhelming ball possession and did most of the attacking.
Baichung, who was Indian football’s posterboy for 16 years since he made his international debut in 1995 till last year, played for 85 minutes before being replaced by CS Sabeeth and he was given a standing ovation by the crowd.
All the Indian players shook his hands, just like some Bayern players, as he made his way to the bench.
Bayern, the four-time UEFA Champions League winners, scored through Mario Gomez (14th minute), Thomas Mueller (29th and 37th) and Bastian Schweinsteiger (43rd).
The German side started with their first eleven except for Franck Ribery and toyed with the Indians, attacking almost at will. The Indians, on the other hand, were content with defending their citadel without having a single clear shy at the opposition goal.
Coach Jupp Heynckes made several changes in his side in the beginning of second half, including Arjen Robben, Philipp Lahm and Thomas Mueller, while India brought in striker Jeje Lalpekhlua in place of Sushil Kumar.
Climax Lawrence came in place of Rocus Lamare while Subhashish Roy Chowdhury replaced Karanjit under the bar.
With most of first team players at the bench, Bayern could not score in the second half with Indian goalie Subhashish also bringing some fine saves.
Bayern, who are Bundesliga first phase leaders, made their attacking moves most of the time from left flank through either captain Philipp Lahm or Bastian Schweinsteiger and right side of the field from nippy Arjen Robben with Thomas Mueller and Mario Gomez upfront.
Bayern took the lead through a Mario Gomez strike with the Bundesliga leading scorer tapping in an Arjen Robben pass from inside the 8-yard box past Indian goalkeeper Karanjit Singh.
Mueller struck twice in the space of eight minutes, first nodding home without any challenge near the far post off a cross from the right by Robben in the 29th minute before slotting home again from an assist by Gomez in the 37th minute.
Two minutes from half time, Bayern made it 4-0 with Schweinsteiger unleashing a stinging right footer from a pass by Gomez which curled into the net after beating Indian goalie Karanjit all ends up.
The second half saw some attacking intent from India without having any clear chance with Jeje in the thick of things a few times. India got a corner and a few free kicks though they did not seriously threatened Bayern goalkeeper Mannuel Neuer who remained untested.
Substitute Jewel Raja Sheikh had a go at the German goal late in the second half which Neuer parried and that was the only instance of an Indian making a shot on target in the match.

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