Coman the hero as Bayern overcome PSG

FC Bayern beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 on Tuesday evening to take a promising position into the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. The Bavarians enjoyed more of the ball but struggled against the hosts' solid defence, and Kingsley Coman's goal after half-time was all that separated the sides as Bayern sealed their seventh win in as many matches in Europe this season.

The Bavarians started with Yann Sommer in goal and Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano and Matthijs de Ligt in defence. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka anchored a midfield featuring João Cancelo, Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala and Coman, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting up front. Alphonso Davies came on for Cancelo at half-time, Serge Gnabry, Thomas Müller, Ryan Gravenberch and Josip Stanišić taking over from Coman, Choupo-Moting, Musiala and Sané in the second half.

Goalless at the break

Bayern got off to a good start and the game was barely 30 seconds olds when Choupo-Moting fired wide. Munich enjoyed more of the ball, also in the right areas, but the hosts managed to hold firm and clear-cut chances were few and far between at first. Coman tested keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Kimmich put a free-kick into the wall.

FCB upped the ante in the run-up to the break but Musiala saw a shot blocked and Coman fired too high. Kimmich drew a save from Donnarumma before Messi's free-kick hit the wall at the other end - the hosts only shot of the first 45 minutes on the stroke of half-time.

Kingsley and Yann shine

Bayern took a deserved lead when a Davies cross found Coman, who crowned his fine performance with a volley to break the deadlock. Paris were more lively with the introduction of Kylian Mbappé, but Munich were still dominant, and Donnarumma denied Choupo-Moting twice, saving a sideways scissor-kick before directing another effort onto the bar.

Pavard saw a header saved but PSG upped the pressure now, Sommer denying Mbappé and Neymar in quick succession, with the Frenchman netting the rebound from an offside position. A Marquinhos header failed to trouble Sommer, with Müller firing over at the other end. 

Paris had the ball in the back of the net again when Nuno Mendes squared for Mbappé, but the goal was chalked off for offside after VAR intervention. Pavard made a crucial block against Messi before being sent off for a second bookable offence after a challenge on the Argentine, but Munich saw out the game and sealed a crucial first-leg victory.

Bayern and PSG will meet again in the return leg on 8 March. The German record champions will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to face Gladbach in the Bundesliga.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen