Champions League: Basel 1 Bayern Munich 0

Basel pulled off a shock 1-0 home win over Bayern Munich in their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg tie at St Jakob-Park on Wednesday.

Substitute Valentin Stocker scored the only goal of the game with five minutes remaining, but the real hero was Yann Sommer, whose heroics in goal halted the visitors time and time again, preserving a slender advantage for the second leg in Munich on March 13.

The game started at breakneck pace, and the visitors almost made the perfect start four minutes in. Arjen Robben’s pass picked out Franck Ribery inside the area, but his effort from close range was thwarted superbly by Sommer.

Ribery was at it again a few minutes later when he was played through on goal by Philipp Lahm, forcing Sommer to palm away his low effort at his near post.

The Swiss club took little time in recovering from the early pressure though, and were increasingly able to get forward and find space in and around a suspect Bayern back four.

With 15 minutes gone, Manuel Neuer was called into action to block Marco Streller’s flick at the near post.

The Germany number one made an even better save a minute later, showing fantastic reflexes to push Aleksandar Dragovic’s point-blank header onto the post.

Chances were coming thick and fast, and the home side were cursing their luck again moments later after Joo-Ho Park teed up Alexander Frei inside the area for a first-time shot that smacked off the crossbar.

The tempo of the game died down somewhat as the first half wore on, but Sommer was called into action again on the half-hour mark to get strong hands on David Alaba’s effort from range. Somehow, the match entered half-time with the score still goalless.

Basel created the first opportunity after the interval with Streller easily out-jumping Lahm in the area, but his header was lacking and was saved by Neuer.

In stark contrast to the opening exchanges, the second period unfolded in a relatively uneventful fashion, as both teams lacked the spark in attack that was so evident in the first half.

Lahm tried to kick things into life in the 66th minute when he let fly from 25 yards out, but Sommer got across well to tip the shot wide.

The Basel ‘keeper was equal to everything Bayern could throw at him, and came up with the goods again with 20 minutes remaining, rushing off his line to block from Mario Gomez.

Sommer’s heroics were rewarded with five minutes remaining, as substitute Jacques Zoua strode across the edge of the Bayern box and played in Stocker, who had enough time and space to slot past Neuer and send the Swiss fans into dreamland.

Bayern were unable to muster a response in the time that remained, leaving Basel with a one-goal lead to protect in the second leg at Allianz Arena in three weeks’ time.