Ron hits Euro ton as holders edge out Munich
CRISTIANO RONALDO netted his 100th European goal as his double sealed a stunning first-leg victory.
The Real Madrid star levelled two minutes into the second half after Arturo Vidal had nodded the opener and missed a penalty for Bayern.
His trickery led to Javi Martinez being sent off after the Spaniard picked up a second booking for a late lunge on the Bernabeu star.
And with 13 minutes left, Ronaldo pounced from close range to give Madrid a solid advantage ahead of next week’s return tie.
But Real boss Zinedine Zidane admits he was hoping to leave with a bigger lead after playing against 10 men for 30 minutes.
He said: “We’d have preferred to have scored another, there was room for it. At 10 men it was easier for us. We’re happy with the result, winning in Munich is never easy.”
Vidal broke the deadlock in 25 minutes when he evaded Nacho and met Thiago Alcantara’s corner with a thumping header to cap off a spell of Bayern dominance. But he followed that up by blazing a penalty over the bar in first-half stoppage time following Dani Carvajal’s handball.
Manuel Neuer denied Ronaldo and Gareth Bale with fine stops but Real were level when the Portugal star volleyed home.
Bayern, who were missing Robert Lewandowski through injury, were reduced to 10 men just after the hour when Martinez, only just cautioned, tripped Ronaldo as the forward skipped clear.
Real looked to make their extra man count, with Sergio Ramos whipping a 25-yard free-kick just wide after a handball by Ribery.
Neuer was Bayern’s last line of defence twice in as many minutes when he stopped Karim Benzema’s close-range effort then got a strong hand to Ronaldo’s shot.
But the German No.1 could do little to prevent Real taking the lead in 77 minutes when Ronaldo stabbed in a low cross from Marcos Asensio inside the box.
Real almost added another but Benzema’s effort and Ramos’s header were ruled out for offside.