| Goals | Goals |
|---|---|
| 7. Cristiano Ronaldo (6’) | 10. Arjen Robben (28’) |
| 7. Cristiano Ronaldo (14’) |
Bayern edge Real on penalties
Bayern Munich set up a date with Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League final after beating Real Madrid 3-1 on penalties in the teams’ semifinal second leg clash at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
Real won the match 2-1, but the tie was level at 3-3 on aggregate after Bayern’s win by the same score line last week. Extra time failed to separate the sides, so a dramatic penalty shootout – in which the home side seemed to lose their nerve – resulted in the German giants progressing to the final.
The first half of regulation time was incredibly entertaining, producing fast, flowing football as both teams looked to take a stranglehold on the game by doing what they do best... attack.
Real Madrid were gifted an early spot kick when Bayern left-back David Alaba was somewhat harshly penalised for hand-ball after an Angel Di Maria shot hit his trailing arm as he slid in to try and make a block.
Cristiano Ronaldo did what his Barcelona rival Lionel Messi failed at last night, converting the penalty to put the home side 1-0 up after just six minutes. Little did the Portuguese attacker know that he would miss a penalty in the shootout about two and a half hours later.
Just eight minutes after Real had opened the scoring, it was 2-0: Ronaldo drifted into space between the Bayern defenders, received a pass from Mesut Ozil and easily beat goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with a low shot.
Despite Real’s fast and furious start, Bayern had actually been the better team, enjoying more of the possession as they created some good early chances, one of which should have been buried by Arjen Robben.
However, the Dutch winger got his name on the score sheet in the 28th minute when he tucked home a penalty. The spot kick was earned by striker Mario Gomez, who had been bundled over by Pepe in trying to get on the end of a cross from Toni Kroos.
The first half ended with the score 2-1 in favour of Real Madrid, but tied 3-3 on aggregate. Extra time seemed highly unlikely, given the open and flowing nature of the first half in which more than three goals should have been scored.
Yet the second half produced no goals. In fact, there were virtually no clear chances for either side as the match tensed up. Bayern looked the stronger team as the end of regulation time neared but Real’s nervy defence just about held them at bay until the end of the 90, sending the game into an extra half hour.
Extra time followed the same pattern, sending the match to penalties. Real seemed to lose their nerve in the shootout, as Ronaldo and Kaka saw their kicks saved by Neuer, while Sergio Ramos blasted the ball over the crossbar.
That left Bastian Schweinsteiger to slam home the decisive penalty and hand Bayern a 3-1 win. They will host the final against Chelsea at their Alianz Arena in Munich next month.
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