Football
Reuters 18y

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Bayern lose but Podolski softens Ruud blow

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By Alastair Himmer

SAITAMA, Japan, July 31 - German champions Bayern
Munich suffered an early set-back to their pre-season with a 1-0
defeat by Japan's Urawa Reds on Monday.

Germany striker Lukas Podolski took some of the sting out of
Bayern's failure to sign Ruud van Nistelrooy with a lively debut
but the visitors were undone by a late Teruaki Kurobe goal.

"Podolski showed why he is so valuable," Bayern coach Felix
Magath told Reuters. "He has only been back in training for a
few days but he was very dangerous."

Podolski was a constant threat and twice came close to
scoring only for Bayern to run out of steam late in the game.

Bayern only arrived in Japan on Sunday following a 13-hour
flight but Podolski looked sharp from the start, the ex-Cologne
striker shaving the bar with a 29th-minute header.

Podolski, whose goals helped hosts Germany reach the World
Cup semi-finals, then forced a superb save from Reds goalkeeper
Norihiro Yamagishi with a powerful header after 56 minutes.

"He had two or three good chances and that's all you want
from a striker," said Magath. "When he has had a few more weeks
of training you will see the best of him. We have high hopes."

Japan midfielder Shinji Ono gave Bayern goalkeeper Oliver
Kahn an early scare when he curled a left-foot shot against the
post from the edge of the box.

As tiredness crept into the Bayern players' legs Urawa
forward Kurobe snatched the winner with a close-range header
three minutes from time.

"We have been on holiday for three weeks so it's no real
surprise we were tired," said Kahn. "But when the new Bundesliga
season starts we will be in top form."

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