Bayern Munich made it maximum points from their opening two Champions League games with a 2-1 win in Basel.
Second half brace by Schweinsteiger sends Bayern clear
Bayern Munich made it maximum points from their opening two Champions League games with a 2-1 victory against Basel in UEFA Champions League Group E.
The Germans had to come from behind in Switzerland thanks to Bastian Schweinsteiger's double to claim a morale boosting victory.
Bayern head coach Louis van Gaal, who is expected to sign a new contract for the Bundesliga giants later this week, will now be confident his side can progress to the knockout stages.
Composed
Basel coach Thorsten Fink welcomed his old club to the intimidating St. Jakob-Park for their clash.
The hosts were in need of a positive performance following their opening day defeat to CFR Cluj.
Fink, a European Cup winner as a player with Bayern in 2001, named the same side that crushed FC Zurich 4-1 at the weekend.
The Swiss outfit, having won seven of their last eight fixtures at home aimed to build on their fine record against the industrious Germans.
Bayern looked to leave their domestic woes behind as they arrived in Switzerland without influential duo Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery due to injury.
The Bundesliga champions lost 2-1 at home to leaders Mainz at the weekend, but they were aiming to add to their three points gained against Roma last time out.
The visitors opened in a more calm and composed manor and created the first meaningful chance of the game after ten minutes.
Philipp Lahm found Toni Kroos after a surging run by the full-back and the striker's left-foot shot was superbly tipped around the post by goalkeeper Franco Costanzo.
From the resulting corner Costanzo was in action again having to punch clear from Miroslav Klose's deft flick.
Daniel Van Buyten was next to go close for last season's finalists when he lashed his left-foot volley wide after a fortuitous one-two with a Basel defender.
However, against the run of play, the Swiss side took a shock lead following a delightful flowing move after 18 minutes.
Marco Streller held of Holger Badstuber before neatly laying the ball into the path of his strike partner Alexander Frei who curled his right-foot effort past the hapless Hans-Joerg But and into the far corner.
The precise finish was the veteran's 11th goal of the season and despite all of Bayern's early possession, the hosts were ahead.
Basel thought they had bagged their second of the night just before the half hour mark.
Frei's devilish free-kick deflected off the Bayern wall and into the path of Benjamin Huggel, who tucked the ball away only to be greeted by the assistant's flag for straying into an offside position.
Xherdan Shaqiri was starting to influence proceedings and he was next to go close. The 18-year-old turned onto his left foot before unleashing a low drive which Butt pushed wide.
Costanzo was once again called into action as half-time approached. The Argentine stopper kept out Mark van Bommel's long-range effort before showing excellent agility to block Muller's follow up, although the striker had strayed offside.
Five minutes into the second half Shaqiri stung the palms of Butt after worrying Danijel Pranjic down the left.
Bastian brace
Bayern found the equaliser after 56 minutes following some slack defensive work by the Swiss.
Huggel followed through with a challenge on Thomas Muller, bringing the young German crashing to the ground and Scottish referee Craig Thomson had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Bastian Schweinsteiger stood up and made no mistake from 12-yards, sending Costanzo the wrong way as he netted his first goal in 15 Champions League appearances for the club.
The visitors pressed forward and Samuel Inkoom had to show some composed defending ahead of substitute Ivica Olic to clear Lahm's dangerous delivery.
Huggel then created an opportunity for Streller with 20 minutes remaining.
Butt dived out with both feet to clear the initial through ball but the dangerous Huggel then dinked the loose ball back into the box for the former Stuttgart striker, but his tame header was plucked out of the air by the veteran keeper.
Gilles Yapi drilled his right-foot effort wide of Butt's goal minutes later.
Mueller and Olic had chances to win the game for the visitors, but both lashed their efforts over the bar.
And, just as both side's looked to have settled for a share of the spoils, Bayern won the game thanks to Schweinsteiger's second of the night.
Holger Badstuber's delicious inswinging free-kick was squeezed home by the midfielder, who escaped the attentions of Behrang Safari to slot the ball into the back of the net at the back post.
