Inter Milan 0 Bayern Munich 1:Mario Gomes gained a small measure of revenge for Bayern Munich as his late winner earned the German side a valuable Champions League win against Inter Milan.Gomes netted from close range after Julio Cesar failed to hold Arjen Robben's shot late on.

It gave Bayern a first-leg advantage against the side who beat them in last season’s final.

Esteban Cambiasso missed the best chances for Inter, who also saw striker Samuel Eto’o draw a blank in front of goal as Bayern goalkeeper Thomas Kraft pulled off several saves.

Andrea Ranocchia, on his Champions League debut, missed the first chance as he volleyed wide when well placed from Wesley Sneijder’s free-kick.

It took more than 10 minutes for Bayern to get into the game, but as Thomas Muller forced his way into the area he was crowded off the ball. Julio Cesar was lucky when he got down late to a left-footed shot from 30 yards out by Luiz Gustavo, which went just wide of the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.

Eto’o then went down under a challenge from Anatoliy Tymoschuk inside the area, but Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai was not interested in any penalty claims. Gustavo then saw another shot from distance deflected wide for a corner as Bayern came more into the game.

But the visitors had an escape when Eto’o worked the ball into the right side of the area and threaded it through the defence for an unmarked Cambiasso, but his shot from close range was straight at Kraft who saved with his legs.

Robben then crossed the ball in but Franck Ribery’s header hit the top of the bar. Eto’o caused Kraft an anxious moment when he charged down a pass across the Bayern defence but the goalkeeper was able to back track and gather the ball on his line.

Sneijder released Dejan Stankovic with a clever floated pass but the ball struck his leg as he tried to take control and the Bayern defence were able to clear. Kraft got down well to his left to keep out a low shot from Eto’o and Sneijder wasted a chance just before half-time as he shot well wide.

Maicon should have done better when a pass from Stankovic played him in on the right side of the area but he also missed the target. Muller wasted a fine chance early in the second half when he got on the end of Robben’s flighted ball across the Inter box but glanced his header across goal.

Robben struck the outside of the post with a rising shot after he had exchanged passes with Ribery and run wide of the Inter defence to give himself an opening.

Cambiasso then missed the best chance so far when he pounced on the rebound after Kraft had beaten away Eto’o’s shot, but the midfielder fired the ball high over the bar.

Bayern went close just before the hour when Robben cut in from the right but his shot was also over the top. Bayern had a lucky escape near the end when Thiago Motta was left unmarked at a corner from Sneijder but he headed straight at Kraft.

Eto’o was also denied when his shot from the edge of the area through a crowd of players was deflected wide for a corner. And Inter paid for those wasted chances when Bayern shocked the home crowd with a late winner.

Julio Cesar could not hold Robben’s shot and Gomes was first to the loose ball to net the rebound.