CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | BAYERN MUNICH 1 REAL MADRID 2

REAL MADRID has defeated BAYERN MUNICH 1 - 2 in the 1º leg match semi-final of CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. Very handy result for the Spanish Club that gives them two valuable away goals & an advantage for the return leg down for the 3rd of May in Madrid. The semi-final is still wide open & the Germans still have their options open but will need an enormous effort to pull this result back.

Bayern Munich - Real Madrid

Bayern Munich did not play badly at all, in fact the Germans had the Spanish team on the back foot most of the match. They created numerous goal opportunities, but Real Madrid had the "luck of the Champions" along with an inspired Real Madrid goalkeeper in Kaylor Navas. The Real Madrid goalie made numerous saves, especially from Ribery, that kept his team alive.

Along with all this, Bayern Munich was unlucky in the injury "department". They lost Robben early in the 1º st half to injury & a little later defender Boateng which obviously shifted the Bayern Munich match plans. However the Germans & their substitute team-mates made an extraordinary effort to keep the level high, create permanent danger & hold the side solid.  


Bayern - Real Madrid 2018 semi final

Said all this, experience won the night. REAL MADRID has greater Champions League experience & even after the first Bayern Munich goal in the 28 min by KIMMICH, the Spaniard remained cool under pressure. In fact they remained cool during the continual waves of attacks,  that if Bayern had played another Club not Real Madrid, the Germans would have had this semi-final wrapped up. Bayern winger Ribery can vouch for this as he gave everything tonight & was their main "spearhead" upfront, to only see how his numerous goal opportunities were foiled time after time. 

Real Madrid just needs to exploited their given chances & their opponents mistakes to get ahead in the match. Their equalizer came in the "psychological" moment of the game, the 44th min when MARCELO got onto a ball in a magnificent fashion for goal. Real Madrid Coach Zidane made a substitution for the 2º half with ASENSIO coming on for Isco, & it paid off quickly. ASENSIO scored the second goal ( & the winner ) in the 57th min after a Bayern midfield mistake that gave the ball to Lucas Vazquez who found Asensio. 

This was enough & Real Madrid then pulled from experience to manage the times, the fouls & the defending. Speaking of defending, CRISTIANO RONALDO will not be on tomorrows front page of the Sports papers, but his performance was absolutely outstanding. Tonight he sacrificed the "limelight" to do the "dirt work" of defending & chasing down Bayern Munich players. When he did appear they disallowed (correctly) a fabulous goal for hand-ball.

Excellent victory for Real Madrid which has to finish off the work next week. Bayern Munich will attempt everything the can to stop Real Madrid & attempt to turn around this semi-final tie to their advantage. Another great Football game assured.

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