Madrid tops Munich
Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals apiece Tuesday, and Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League final by beating defending champion Bayern Munich 4-0 at Munich.
Madrid completed a 5-0 total goals victory and will play Chelsea or Atletico Madrid in the May 24 final in Lisbon. It was Bayern’s worst home defeat in the competition and it equaled its biggest loss overall — 4-0 at Barcelona in 2009.
Madrid had never won in Munich in 10 previous matches, losing nine. This time, however, Carlo Ancelotti’s team put its stamp on the game early in an overwhelmingly efficient display.
Ramos headed home goals in the 16th and 20th minutes, and Ronaldo raised his tally to a Champions League season-record 16 goals.
Madrid is in its 13th final and one win from a record 10th title. Madrid had lost three consecutive semifinals, including a 2012 shootout when Ramos missed a penalty kick.
Bayern was seeking to become the first team to defend the Champions League title.
Madrid’s sweeping, fast counterattacks — paced by Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Angel Di Maria — and tenacious tackling posed a huge problem for Bayern’s defense. Notah Begay suffered a heart attack last week in Dallas and is expected to make a full recovery, the Golf Channel said.
Begay, 41, an analyst for the Golf Channel and NBC Sports, had a stent inserted Thursday to unblock his right coronary artery. He will be off the air indefinitely while he recovers.
The Florida Panthers fired interim Coach Peter Horachek after the team went 26-36-4 under him this season. Horachek had no NHL coaching experience before replacing Kevin Dineen on Nov. 8.
NASCAR has punished Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears for a post-race altercation in the garage at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
Ambrose was fined $25,000 and placed on probation through May 28. Mears was fined $15,000 and received the same probation.
NASCAR said in a statement both drivers were penalized for actions detrimental to stock car racing, and received a “Behavioral Penalty” because they were “involved in an altercation in the garage area after the race.”
The two had been racing for a top-20 finish Saturday night when something occurred on the track to anger Mears. He confronted Ambrose in the garage area after the race, and shoved the Australian as Ambrose seemed to be walking away.
Ambrose responded with a right hook to Mears’ eye that drew blood.