Real Madrid on course for third straight Champions League title
Real Madrid boosted their hopes of winning the Champions League for the third successive year after seizing control of their Champions League semi-final showdown with Bayern Munich by winning Wednesdays away leg.
Bayern opened the scoring through Joshua Kimmich only for Marcelo to reply for the visitors shortly before half-time and substitute Marco Asensio to conjure a winner prior to the hour mark.
A 150th Champions League victory and two crucial away goals ensured Real assumed pole position in the battle to reach the final in Kiev on 26 May, potentially against Liverpool who hold a 5-2 lead over Roma following Tuesdays first leg.
“We were really solid and defended very well. Weve taken the first step,” said Real captain Sergio Ramos.
Bayern, who were the last team to win three successive European Cups in 1976, drew first blood on 27 minutes when Kimmich raced into space and deceived goalkeeper Keylor Navas with a near-post shot.
Real levelled moments before the break as a ball from the right found its way to Marcelo, who located the bottom corner of Bayern stopper Sven Ulreichs net with a low, first-time effort.
Los Blancos winner arrived 11 minutes after the restart and owed much to calamitous defending from Bayerns Rafinha; his concession of possession allowed Asensio to clip clinically beyond Ulreich after being freed by Lucas Vazquez.
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