Bayern breathe easy
There was a collective sigh of relief from Bayern Munich's bosses Saturday after Germany striker Miroslav Klose's second-half goal gave the Bundesliga champions a 1-0 win over Karlsruhe.
It was Bayern's first victory in four league games and the three points came when Klose converted Italian defender Massimo Oddo's cross on 86 minutes, but it was another unimpressive performance.
"The victory was enormously important - we are on the right path now," said Bayern manager Uli Hoeness.
"In the first half we didn't take our chances, unfortunately, which made life hard for us.
"At the end we won and are a little happy, but what we need at the moment is a little bit of luck.
"The team fought up to the last minute and one must not forget we had ten players back from international duty, that makes it hard.
"At the moment, it is a question of self-confidence.
"After our recent defeats there was not much self-assurance around the team, but this victory will help return that. We are on the right path now."
Bayern last picked up three points for a Bundesliga game on September 13 when they hammered Cologne 3-0.
Since then the gloss on coach Jurgen Klinsmann's first season in charge has faded badly after Werder Bremen hammered his side 5-2 at home on September 20 and then slumped to a 1-0 defeat at minnows Hanover the following week.
Cries of "Klinsmann out!" were first heard around Munich's Allianz Arena in their previous league game on October 4 when a poor VfL Bochum side were allowed to score two goals in the last 10 minutes to poach a 3-3 draw.
But Klose's goal on 86 minutes has eased some of the pressure on Klinsmann - who succeeded Ottmar Hitzfeld as Bayern coach on July 1 - even if Munich remain 11th in the league table.
"It was a very important victory, in order for us to start to move up the table," said ex-Germany coach Klinsmann, whose side face Fiorentina on Tuesday in the Champions League.
"We threatened to score the winning goal much earlier and finally we managed to force the ball over the line.
"In the last two, three games we had not played to our best."
And for Bayern's captain Mark van Bommel, back in the side after a spell on the bench, it was all about league points.
"It was important that we got three points in a difficult time," he said. "If things don't work for you, you have to fight.
"I believe we did that until the last minute, we never gave up."
Bayern are now waiting on the fitness of strikers Luca Toni (bruised ribs) and Miroslav Klose (leg injury) ahead of the Fiorentina game.
Hoffenheim went top of the Bundesliga by virtue of their 5-2 win at Hanover, but Hamburg can regain top spot if they pick up at least a point to Schalke 04 on Sunday.
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