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Lucky win for Bayern Munich

Basel - Bastian Schweinsteiger scored two second-half goals, including a controversial penalty, to give Bayern Munich a lucky 2-1 win at Swiss champions FC Basel on Tuesday.

Basel went ahead with a superbly crafted goal in the 18th minute when Marco Streller held off his marker and flicked the ball to Alexander Frei, who curled his effort past Joerg Butt.

Bayern survived a torrid spell and levelled in the 56th minute when Benjamin Huggel tangled with Thomas Mueller in the penalty area.

The Swiss clearly played the ball but the referee gave a penalty and Schweinsteiger buried the spot kick amid a deafening chorus of jeers. He then crept in at the far post to snatch an 89th minute winner which left Bayern with six points from two games and Basel with none.

Basel, whose coach Thorsten Fink is a former Bayern player, appeared overawed at the start, handing control to the visitors who missed an excellent early chance when defender Daniel Van Buyton volleyed over from close range.

But the game changed completely with the goal as Basel suddenly discovered their confidence.

Teenager Xherdan Shaquiri brought the crowd to their feet each time he got the ball and created two chances for Basel to add to their lead, pulling a dangerous ball across the face of the ball and then forcing Butt to parry his 25-metre shot.

Mark van Bommel nearly equalised just before halftime when his long-range shot was well saved by goalkeeper Franco Constanzo.

Shaquiri made Butt work again with another powerful drive after the break but Schweinsteiger's penalty changed the complexion of the match and both sides had chances to win in a pulsating last half hour until the late winner.

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