Real Madrid Squashes Bayern Munich Champions League Final Hopes

Kimmich got the scoring started in Madrid, just like he did in Munich. Playing in an advanced position, the right back pounced on a poor clearance, beating Keylor Navas from close range with a powerful finish.

Madrid

The goal brought the aggregate score level, with Real Madrid still ahead via the away goal tiebreaker.

Real Madrid padded its aggregate lead in the 11th minute. Karim Benzema, who has labored through a difficult season, was found on the doorstep by Marcelo, and the Frenchman headed home to equalize on the day, capping a 28-pass sequence.

The goal gave Real Madrid a 3-2 aggregate lead, and another Bayern goal would make the series level on aggregate and away goals.

Bayern Munich wasted a golden opportunity to do just that in the 33rd minute. Robert Lewandowski was fed by Mats Hummels and had a close-range chance saved by Navas, but the rebound popped up in the air for Thomas Muller. His header wasn’t on target, but it put James Rodriguez in position for an agile follow-up in front of an empty goal. His chance pinged off the bar, though, letting Real Madrid off and keeping the scoreline the same.

Bayern was left to rue that 20 seconds into the second half, when a catastrophe in the back gifted Real Madrid a second goal. Corentin Tolisso’s back pass was weakly hit toward Sven Ulreich, and a moment of indecision by the goalkeeper let the ball slip by him and gifted him a chance facing an empty net. The goal made it 2-1 on the day and 4-2 on aggregate, requiring Bayern to score two more goals to stay alive.

Both teams had chances go begging after that. One Bayern’s end, David Alaba had a rip tipped around the post by Navas. On Real Madrid’s, Cristiano Ronaldo had a volley opportunity fall to him at an open goalmouth, only for the in-form star to uncharacteristically put his chance over the bar.

James made things quite interesting just after the hour mark. Navas made a save on James’s original shot but yielded a rebound that the Colombian pounced on and finished to make it 4-3 Real Madrid on aggregate.

James, as he had indicated previously, did not celebrate against his parent club, but the damage put Real Madrid in peril of going out.

Navas more than made up for that in the 74th minute, when he robbed Tolisso of a would-be go-ahead goal with a diving, instinctual save after the ball had fallen for the French international in a dangerous spot.

Real Madrid

Bayern Munich continued to threaten late and came close in the second minute of stoppage time. Hummels got his head to a corner kick, but he couldn’t steer his chance on frame, sending it wide of the post and giving Real Madrid a chance to kill off precious seconds.

Thomas Muller also missed a golden chance to steal a win in the 96th minute

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