Juve take control as Nedved sinks Bayern

A 76th minute goal from European Footballer of the Year Pavel Nedved gave Juventus a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday handing the Italians clear control at the top of Champions League Group C.

The result gives Juve a maximum nine points from three games and moves them close to qualification. Bayern are three points behind after their first defeat.

"It was a tense game and it was difficult for both teams," said Juve coach Fabio Capello who conceded his team had found it hard going for long spells.

"They played with just one striker and were very strong in midfield but we only gave them two chances -- both a result of carelessness on our part. I think we created a bit more."

Nedved's strike after Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahmovic had headed a long ball from Lilian Thuram into the path of the Czech midfielder, who confidently fired past Bayern keeper Oliver Kahn, was one of the few chances in a dull game.

Bayern, who showed little ambition, almost equalised straight away though when Bastian Schweinsteiger's powerful shot was tipped over by Gianluigi Buffon.

Juve nearly made it 2-0 deep in injury time when Ibrahimovic broke free but the lanky striker poked his shot from a tight angle just wide of Kahn's left hand post.

The German side, not meeting expectations in the Bundesliga, looked content to take a point and the timing of Nedved's goal gave them little chance to get something out of the game.

This was the first meeting in competitive action between two of the biggest names in European football but barely 18,000 fans turned out at the Delle Alpi stadium to watch it.

Given the poor quality of the entertainment offered, though, few of them will be lamenting if the pair are not drawn against each other for an equally long spell in the future.

Juve started brightly with the tall former Ajax striker Ibrahimovic heading over from a promising position after a fine run and cross from Gianluca Zambrotta.

But that was it in terms of real chances until Nedved's goal and while Juve coach Fabio Capello will be delighted with the victory he will surely be less impressed with the performance of the Serie A leaders.

Brazilian Emerson failed to provide the creative spark to break up the predictable play in midfield and until he struck Nedved had been anonymous on the left flank.

Bayern only once managed to scare Juve in the first half when, after some hesitation in the Italian defence, Buffon came out to stop Roy Makaay and the ball fell loose to the Bayern striker but his weak shot was cleared by Jonathan Zebina.

Felix Magath's side defended well with Brazilian World Cup winner Lucio, once close to a transfer to Juve, commanding alongside the solid Thomas Linke.

"I thought we played well," said Magath, "But it was a disappointing result, of course, after controlling the game right up until their goal."

"We had two chances but sadly we couldn't convert them and so we get nothing out of this game," he said.

There was little sign, though, of the creative ability of playmaker Michael Ballack in midfield and Makaay was left alone in attack with little support for large parts of the game.

"We didn't concentrate," said Ballack. "We'd have been satisfied with the one point away."