The UEFA Champions League semifinal between Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid kicked off Tuesday with a scrumptious first leg, with superstars and sparring, with noise and nerves — however with no winner.
Bayern and Actual dueled on the Allianz Area in Germany. Each scored blinding objectives. Each, for greater than 25 minutes, led.
However neither held their lead. Vinicius Jr.’s second purpose on the evening earned Actual Madrid a 2-2 draw, and an implicit benefit heading again residence for subsequent week’s second leg on the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Bayern, seeking to salvage a rocky season, took management of the ball and the sport early. However Madrid, boosted by the brilliance of Vini and Toni Kroos, took a 1-0 lead halfway by the primary half. Vini dragged Kim Min-Jae out of place, then darted behind the Bayern defender to provide the guests a lead towards the run of play.
Bayern responded over 5 frantic second-half minutes. Leroy Sané unleashed a laser, his first purpose in 185 days, to equalize.
Harry Kane then put Bayern forward from the penalty spot, after a stunning dribble from Jamal Musiala, and all of a sudden, the kings of Europe had been wobbling. For many of the second half, Bayern pressed for — and practically discovered — a 3rd purpose.
However with lower than 10 minutes remaining, Kim clumsily fouled Rodrygo within the field. Vini transformed the penalty. And Actual Madrid, as all the time, as ever, simply because it did final spherical towards Manchester Metropolis, weathered a European storm.
The 14-time champions will probably be favored heading into subsequent Wednesday’s second leg (3 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+/Univision). They’re on the cusp of one more closing, maybe towards their soon-to-be star, Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé. (PSG’s semifinal towards Borussia Dortmund begins Wednesday, and concludes subsequent Tuesday.)
They’ll know in addition to anybody, although, that there’s nonetheless work to do. Bayern, though dethroned in Germany, proved Tuesday that it’s nonetheless mighty.
You possibly can re-live the primary leg because it occurred beneath.
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FULL TIME: Bayern München 2 – 2 Actual Madrid
Vini Jr.’s brace retains issues degree within the first leg because the deciding match heads to Madrid subsequent Wednesday.
Vini Jr. equalizes together with his fifth purpose in Champions League!
Vini equalizes from the penalty spot.
A nightmarish evening for Bayern heart again Kim Min-Jae.
He was dragged round and uncovered by Vini on the primary purpose earlier.
Now his clumsy deal with on Rodrygo throws away Bayern’s lead. The penalty was a no-doubter. Vini converts. 2-2.
Penalty to Actual Madrid!! Vini Jr. is stepping as much as take the shot.
Luka Modric, 38 years younger, simply dropped an absolute dime to Vini.
Manuel Neuer stands tall and saves.
So many big-time gamers on show right here. Fairly a spectacle. That is peak Champions League.
10 minutes remaining, nonetheless 2-1 to Bayern
Actual Madrid subs
Luka Modric and Brahim Diaz change Toni Kroos and … Jude Bellingham?!?
A little bit of a shock. However Bellingham has been fairly quiet tonight.
14 minutes plus stoppage time remaining. Bayern wanting extra more likely to rating once more.
Actual Madrid wobbling
A deflected Harry Kane shot trickles previous the submit.
A free Eric Dier header nestles proper into Andriy Lunin’s arms.
Actual Madrid residing dangerously right here. Because it stands, it is a 50/50 proposition going again to Madrid for the second leg. One other Bayern purpose would change that.
What a turnaround!
From 0-1 to 2-1 in lower than 5 minutes!
And it was engineered by Bayern’s three most dynamic gamers.
Konrad Laimer drove into some area in midfield to spray the ball out to Leroy Sané on the best wing.
Sané snapped his 185-day purpose drought with a quintessential Leroy Sané purpose — slicing inside on his left foot, and unleashing a laser.
Then Jamal Musiala danced into the Actual Madrid field and gained the penalty.
Error de Lucas dejando la pierna. Con Musiala es un peligro hacer algo así.
— Madrid Sports activities (@MadridSports_) April 30, 2024
Harry Kane transformed. Bayern has come alive.
In his first Champions League semifinals look, Harry Kane places Bayern up 2-1:
And now after the equalizer from Sane, a penalty to Bayern!
Second half underway
One halftime change: Raphaël Guerreiro on for Leon Goretzka in Bayern’s midfield.
Which isn’t a “F it, let’s chase the sport” change. It is extra of a minor tactical tweak.
Toni Kroos’ first half: not simply the help. Fairly darn near on-ball perfection.
After a Harry Kane free kick fizzes a number of toes vast, Bayern Munich now has eight pictures to Actual Madrid’s one.
However the one was very high-quality, and the eight have principally been so-called “half-chances” — none stands out as a evident miss.
Nonetheless 1-0 with halftime approaching.
Can Bayern re-find rhythm?
The problem now for Bayern: re-find the rhythm of the opening 20 minutes, do not let one second corrupt your gameplan.
There’s danger in beginning to chase the sport, and dropping management, particularly towards this Actual Madrid group.
Actual, in the meantime, will probably be much more comfortable to drop deep into its personal defensive third and play on the counter — which is arguably when Los Blancos are at their finest.
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