Bayern 1 Real 2 /Advantage Madrid
● Asensio seals Real comeback as Spanish champions take advantage in tight semi-final tie
Real Madrid substitute Marco Asensio scored a secondhalf winner to end Bayern Munich’s unbeaten record at home this season and give his side a 2-1 win in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
Joshua Kimmich had put the home side in front, but Marcelo equalised before the interval against the run of play. Asensio then came on after the break and Lukas Vazquez set up the 22-year-old to claim a second away goal for Madrid 12 minutes into the second half.
Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score for the first time in the competition this season. Real’s Portuguese star had an effort ruled out in the second half for using his arm to control the ball.
Real Madrid’s bid for a third straight Champions League title remains on course after a come-from-behind victory in Munich.
Two high-quality opponents produced numerous uncharacteristic errors, Joshua Kimmich beating Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas at his near post to give Bayern the lead before Marcelo equalised and halftime substitute Marco Asensio struck to give Zinedine Zidane’s men the advantage ahead of next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu.
Real’s sixth consecutive win over Bayern means the German champions must score at least twice to cancel the away-goals advantage to have any hope of denying 12-time European champions Real’s progress to next month’s final in Kiev.
Bayern kept danger man Cristiano Ronaldo quiet – the Portuguese netted in the second half, but the strike was ruled out for handball – but their chances were hampered when Arjen Robben departed through injury after only eight minutes.
Bayern made light of the blow as James Rodriguez, playing against his parent club, found rampaging right-back Kimmich in acres of space, exploiting the space Marcelo had vacated. Instead of playing the ball into the centre of the area, Kimmich went for goal and was rewarded for his audacity as Navas was found wanting.
Navas was also culpable for a Juventus goal in the quarterfinal and his error will lead to heightened speculation that Real are in the market for a new goalkeeper this summer.
Bayern also lost Jerome Boateng to injury, but had chances to double their lead. Franck Ribery’s touch let him down in front of goal and Mats Hummels volleyed over as Robert Lewandowski headed on a corner.
Real reacted, levelling after a deep cross from left to right was headed back by Dani Carvajal and fell for Marcelo on the edge of the area. The Brazil full-back struck the ball low across Sven Ulreich to equalise.
Bayern still had chances. Lewandowski headed straight at Navas, who gathered at the second attempt, and Thomas Muller was off balance when he attempted to glance another Lewandowski header goalwards, the ball going wide. Ribery then tried to engineer another Bayern goal, but a touch from Raphael Varane took the ball away from Muller.
Asensio, on for the ineffective Isco, punished Bayern for Rafinha’s misplaced pass.
Lucas Vazquez played in Asensio and the replacement kept his composure to net.
Ribery was denied by Navas and then Real lost Carvajal through injury. Karim Benzema came on in his place, with Vazquez moving to right-back, and Bayern almost exploited the defensive uncertainty when Kimmich’s cross was headed down by Javi Martinez.
The ball went towards Muller three yards out, but it would not sit for him and Real scrambled clear. Ribery then ran at Vazquez, firing narrowly wide.
Bayern should have levelled after 88 minutes. Corentin Tolisso played in Lewandowski, but he clipped the ball wide when it appeared easier to score as Real enjoyed a third successive win at the Allianz Arena.