Ronaldo and Real punish 10 man Bayern – Champions League
Quarter-final
Bayern Munich 1-2 Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo struck twice as holders Real Madrid came from behind to win 2-1 at Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Bayern’s Arturo Vidal opened the scoring and missed a penalty but Ronaldo volleyed home the equaliser in the 47th minute and scored the winner 13 minutes from time when he was picked out by Marco Asenio and finished calmly.
Vidal struck in the 25th minute when he evaded Nacho and met Thiago Alcantara’s corner with a thumping header to cap off a spell of Bayern dominance, but he blazed a penalty over the bar in first-half stoppage time following Dani Carvajal’s handball.
Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer denied Ronaldo and Gareth Bale with fine stops but after Javi Martinez was sent off in the 61st minute following two quick-fire yellow cards, Real took control, leaving Bayern with much to do ahead of the second leg in Spain next Tuesday.
Bayern were without Polish striker Robert Lewandowsi because of a shoulder injury, so Thomas Muller lead the attack.
Real, unbeaten so far in the Champions League this season, had to do without defenders Raphael Varane and Pepe, who suffered a double rib fracture in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with city rivals Atletico. Fernandez Nacho came into the backline.
After a tense opening it was the visitors who went close in the 18th minute.
Toni Kroos sent in a deep cross from the right and Karim Benzema headed the ball down, which bounced back up over the dive of Neuer, who somehow managed to get his fingertips on it as it went on to the crossbar.
It was Bayern, though, who took the lead on 25 minutes.
Thiago played in an outswinging corner from the right, which Vidal powered past Keylor Navas, the goalkeeper only able to push the ball into the roof of the net.
Bayern remained on the offensive, with Franck Ribery’s shot deflected behind and Vidal sending a header just wide before at the other end Kroos flashed a low drive past the post following a corner as Real looked to get back into the tie.
In first-half stoppage time, Bayern had a chance to extend their lead after Carvajal was adjudged to have blocked Ribery’s shot with his arm.
However, Vidal stepped up and blasted the penalty high over the crossbar.
It would prove to be a costly miss as Real were on level terms early in the second half.
Carvajal whipped a ball across the Bayern penalty area from the right, which Ronaldo clipped past Neuer into the far corner.
Now it was Real who took hold of possession, with Bayern struggling to mount any sort of sustained pressure.
In the 56th minute, Carvajal got away down the right and sent a ball into the six-yard box, which Gareth Bale met with a bullet header, but Neuer made a superb reaction save to push the ball over the bar.
The Wales forward soon went off, replaced by Marco Asensio, with some suggestions it could be precautionary against an injury concern.
Bayern were reduced to 10 men just after the hour when Martinez, who had only just been cautioned, tripped Ronaldo as the Portugal forward looked to get clear.
Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli was left with little option but to shown the defensive midfielder a second yellow card followed by a red.
Real looked to make their extra man count, with Sergio Ramos whipping a 25-yard free-kick just wide following a handball by Ribery.
Neuer kept Bayern in the game with two fantastic saves in as many minutes when he first kicked away Benzema’s close-range effort and then got a strong hand to beat off Ronaldo’s point-blank effort.
The German, though, could do little to prevent Real taking the lead on 77 minutes when Ronaldo stabbed in a low cross from Asensio.
Real could have further extended their advantage late on as Marcelo’s shot from the left flew wide and Benzema’s angled effort and a header from Ramos were both correctly ruled out for offside.
