Benfica’s Raul Jimenez leaps over Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer
Bayern Munich advanced to the semifinals of the Champions League despite being held to a 2-2 draw at Benfica yesterday.
The draw in the return leg of their quarterfinal meant Bayern went through 3-2 on aggregate after its 1-0 win at home. Unfancied Benfica made the German club fight till the end, though, as substitute Talisca’s curling free kick beat Manuel Neuer in the 76th to make it level on the night.
It’s the fifth time running that the German powerhouse, a five-time winner of the competition, has made it through to the semifinals. Benfica was hoping to reach the last four for the first time in 26 years.
In the night’s other quarterfinal, Atletico Madrid ousted holder Barcelona with a 2-0 win.
Raul Jimenez’s 27th-minute goal, when he met a lobbed pass from Eliseu and beat two defenders to head past Neuer, put Benfica level over the two legs and fired up the Portuguese team.
Arturo Vidal replied for Bayern in the 38th with his second goal over the two legs. Benfica goalkeeper Ederson pushed out Philipp Lahm’s cross as far as the Chile midfielder, who was alone on the edge of the area and fired a shot into the empty goal.
Thomas Mueller, who hadn’t scored in his past three games, made it 2-1 for the Bundesliga club on the night with a header in the 52nd.
“I’m happy with the way we stood toe-to-toe with them and took them on over the two games, but I’m not happy with the outcome,” Benfica coach Rui Vitoria said. “We’ve gone out against one of the best teams in the world.”
The opening goal unsettled Bayern, and Jimenez — making a rare start for Benfica — had a clear chance to score a few minutes later when the Mexico striker was unmarked in the Bayern area but fluffed his shot.
With the aggregate score level, the match burst into life.
Ederson sprinted off his line to deny Lahm, playing his 103rd Champions League match, but it was the German international who set up Vidal for his crucial goal.
After the restart, Javi Martinez at the back post headed Vidal’s corner towards Mueller to make it 2-1.
Douglas Costa hit the Benfica woodwork with a low drive in the 60th, and then Andre Almeida’s shot forced a save from Neuer as the home side kept pushing forward.
In the other game of the night, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar all failed to deliver as holder Barcelona was dumped out of the Champions League quarterfinals in a stunning 2-0 defeat by Spanish rival Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona’s star trio was kept in check by some tough defending from the home side, and France striker Antoine Griezmann scored a goal in each half as Atletico overturned a 2-1 loss at Camp Nou in last week’s first leg to win 3-2 on aggregate.
The result sent Diego Simeone’s team, which had played most of the first leg match with 10 men, to the semifinals for the second time in the last three seasons. And it shattered the hopes of favorite Barcelona, which had reached the semifinals seven times in the last eight years.
The defeat ended Barcelona’s hopes of repeating the treble of Champions League, Copa del Rey and Spanish league titles. AP
big two in fabulous last four
Bayern München and Atlético Madrid have joined Manchester City and Real Madrid in the draw for the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. Giants Bayern and Real are into the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for at least the fifth season running.
The draw will be streamed live in the UEFA.com from 6:30pm today.
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