Bayern Munich Vs. Inter Milan, 2011 UEFA Champions League, Match Review: Nerazzurri Through After Handing Bayern Ironic Defeat

Read More: Samuel Eto'o (F - Cameroon), Inter Milan

Last season, Bayern Munich came back from two goals down on the road in Champions League, using a late goal to pull even on the scoresheet while sending their club through on aggregate. This season, Inter Milan has done the same to them, sending FCB out of the competition on a 87th minute goal from Goran Pandev. Bayern, after having a two goal cushion for most of this match, is out of Champions League at the Round of 16, away goals deciding the 3-3, aggregate result.

Three minutes in, Inter had pulled-back the goal they gave up at the San Siro, Samuel Eto'o scoring after he beat the Bayern line to a Pandev pass, the assistant referee electing to keep his flag down though it looked like Eto'o had a head and a shoulder's advantage. Beating Thomas Kraft low, Eto'o evened the tie, 1-1.

By the time halftime came, Bayern has taken control of the match, scoring twice in a nine minute stretch in the middle of the period. In the 22nd minute, Mario Gómez took advantage of Júlio César mishandling a long shot from Arjen Robben, putting a shot back over his head into an undefended goal to give Bayern a 2-1 lead.

In the 30th minute, Thomas Müller made it 3-1, chipping the ball over an oncoming César, beating the Inter `keeper after he had been put in behind the Nerazzurri defense.

Bayern had two glorious chances to make it 4-1. Franck Ribéry was allowed an uncontested run on goal from 30 yards out thanks to a Lucio misread, but the Bayern winger failed to beat César, allowing the Brazilian to save over the bar. Minutes later, a ball rolled across the face of an unprotected goal by Mario Gomez almost saw Müller record his second goal, but a desperate lunge from Andrea Ranocchia saw the ball off the post in out, preserving Inter's two goal deficit.

The second half saw Bayern maintain control of play until the 66th minute. Then, a ball played in from the left by Coutinho allowed Samuel Eto'o to set up Wesley Sneijder for a one-time shot from 20 yards. The ball went straight into the lower left hand corner, making it 3-2 on aggregate.

It was a relatively similar set-up that led to Pandev's winner. Inter, having played seven minutes of desperate football, worked the play from their left flank toward the middle. There, Samuel Eto'o as given the ball, eventually laying-off into the space to the right of goal. Goran Pandev came into the ball, opening up his left foot to the shot. The ball was perfectly placed high and to his left, beating Kraft for what would be the tie-wining goal.

The shot left Bayern and supporters shocked, a surprise the home side could not shake off in time to threaten for a winner. Though they pressed over the last seven minutes, Bayern never threatened to reclaim their lead. In a fashion so similar to last year's match at Old Trafford as to render the defeat ironic, Bayern Munich was sent out of Champions League just after most had becomes accustomed to the idea of them going through.

With Goran Pandev's late goal, it's the holders that survive.