Bayern Munich took a step toward the group stage of the Champions League Wednesday with a 2-0 win over FC Zurich. While Dinamo Zagreb, Maccabi Haifa, Odense and Wisla Krakow also won the first leg of their playoffs, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben scored in Munich to put four-time European champion Bayern within sight of the lucrative group stage. Bayern has only failed to reach the Champions League once since 1997 but is in the playoffs because it missed out on automatic qualification by slumping to third in last season's German league. Dinamo Zagreb racked up the night's biggest win with a 4-1 victory over Malmo, Maccabi Haifa beat Genk 2-1, Odense shocked Spanish side Villarreal 1-0 and Wisla Krakow downed APOEL 1-0. With May's Champions League final set to be held in Munich and an estimated €20 million ($29 million) to be gained just by reaching the tournament proper, Bayern had plenty of incentive to beat the runner-up in the Swiss league. But the powerhouse failed to impress for long spells in front of 66,000 sometimes jeering fans at the Allianz-Arena and led solely through Schweinsteiger's eighth-minute goal for much of the match. Schweinsteiger headed in unmarked before France winger Franck Ribery hit the post. Mario Gomez was particularly wasteful in front of goal, attempting to get through three defenders before having another shot blocked. The Germany striker, the Bundesliga's top scorer last season with 28 goals, also collected a pass from Schweinsteiger but hesitated in front of goal to allow the retreating defender to clear. Robben finally got the goal the home side's dominance deserved, taking a pass from Gomez with one touch and curling a shot past Johnny Leoni with his next in the 72nd. The return leg will take place in Zurich next Tuesday, when Bayern will have to be careful. Although Bayern has twice won through qualifying — in 1998 and 2002 — Zurich has Champions League experience, having made the group stage for the only time in 2009. The Swiss team failed to progress but won 1-0 at AC Milan and held the Italian giant to a 1-1 draw in the return. Jorge Sammir scored twice to lead Dinamo Zagreb to a victory, Weaam Amasha and Vladimir Dvalishvili gave Israel's Maccabi a slender advantage over Belgian side Genk, and midfielder Hans Henrik Andreasen scored with six minutes left for Odense. Wisla Krakow has a chance to reach the group stage after six failed attempts after Patryk Malecki cut inside and rifled in a 71st-minute goal for the Polish league champion.
