WATCH: Liverpool, Bayern Munich Play Scoreless Draw in UCL Last 16 1st Leg
For a pair of adept attacking sides, both Liverpool and Bayern Munich failed to put on a scoring clinic on Tuesday.
Bayern Munich went into Anfield and held the hosts to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 matchup, sending a tense series back to Munich without any goals. Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah each had great chances in the first half, while both sides' goalkeepers endured but overcame nervy moments en route to the result.
The lack of goals and real attacking threat was perhaps more surprising for Bayern Munich, given that center backs Virgil van Dijk and Dejan Lovren were out for Liverpool. Bayern missed some key components too, with Thomas Muller, Jerome Boateng and Leon Goretzka all unavailable on the day.
Bayern looked to control the tempo early, electing to play it out of the back deliberately on a couple of occasions in the opening five minutes in spite of Liverpool's high press, taking advantage of Manuel Neuer's poise with the ball at his feet.
That tactic was designed to help Bayern dictate the run of play and despite its shakiness at times, it did appear to have an impact. It was Bayern that had the first half-chance, with a cross from Serge Gnabry forcing Alisson to race off his line and fight his own teammate, makeshift center back Fabinho, on the aerial challenge. Fortunately for Liverpool, the goalkeeper was able to punch it away to safety in the 10th minute.
Bayern could only fend off the hosts for so long. Salah nearly opened the scoring in sensational fashion, splitting two defenders to get onto the end of Jordan Henderson's long ball over the top. Salah couldn't get full power on his first-time volley, and Neuer was able to make the sprawling save from the close-range shot.
Alisson then proved his worth moments later, standing strong in the right place as a ball ricocheted with power off Joel Matip and then the goalkeeper, who may not have known much about it but still made the block. The Brazilian showed his risky side soon after, though, getting a bit too casual with a ball in the back and putting Matip in a bad spot. His turnover at the edge of the box gifted Kingsley Coman a chance from a tight angle, which the winger put into the side netting.
A key moment in the 27th minute happened in the center of the field, when Joshua Kimmich fouled Mane. That card put the starting right back at the limit for accumulation and will suspend him for the return leg.
Liverpool had a golden chance just after the half-hour mark, when Mane had the ball fall to him unmarked in the center of the box. Roberto Firmino juked a defender before laying it off for Naby Keita. The midfielder's blast was blocked by Niklas Sule but right into Mane's path, but the Senegalese star's strike was mishit and yanked wide of the far post.
Mane had another chance in the 38th minute–and a spectacular one at that. It came off another blocked Keita shot, this one popping up for Mane to attempt a bicycle kick. Like his previous chance, though, it went well wide of the mark.
The chances kept coming for Liverpool, with another great one being sparked by Salah. His back-heel set up Firmino down the left-hand side, where he was able to fire in a dangerous cross. Matip, who had remained forward, wasn't able to steer his redirect on frame, though, putting it wide of the left post.
Bayern challenged Liverpool's backup center backs six minutes into the second half, when Coman found Lewandowski in the center of the box. Fabinho held his own, though, coming up with a clean tackle to take the ball off the Polish star and end the threat.
Gnabry had a chance from long rage seven minutes later off a sloppy Liverpool giveaway. The ex-Arsenal winger looked up and had a go from over 20 yards, whizzing it over Alisson's crossbar.
As the teams labored toward the finish line, Liverpool nearly snuck a winner through Mane. He was able to get to Andy Robertson's cross on a darting near post run, glancing a header toward the far post, only for an alert Neuer to close down the space and make the save.
Here were the lineups for both sides:
The second leg will take place at Bayern's Allianz Arena in Munich on March 13.
