Bayern Munich have progressed to the 2011/12 Champions League final courtesy of a 3-2 penalty shootout win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu tonight.
The German giants fought back gallantly after conceding two goals early to produce a 2-1 result on the night with a 3-3 aggregate the score at the end of extra-time prior to the shootout.
Cristiano Ronaldo converted from the penalty spot in just the sixth minute after Angel di Maria's volley had struck the arm of a slipping David Alaba who was unlucky to see the ball cannon into him. Nevertheless the spot-kick was awarded with Madrid's Portuguese ace coolly converting.
Eight minutes later, Madrid were two ahead on the night following Bayern's 2-1 home win last week, when Ronaldo found space on the edge of the area before controlling Mesut Ozil's neat ball to slot past Manuel Neuer for his 10th Champions League goal of the season.
It was a frantic beginning to the contest as Bayern won a penalty of their own in the 26th minute when Pepe clattered into the back of Mario Gomez who was trying to get on the end of Toni Kroos' cross. Former Real Madrid man Arjen Robben was assigned the duties and managed to sneak it past Iker Casillas who had gotten both gloves to the ball but was unable to keep out the power of the shot.
It was certainly a match of contrasting halves with both sides producing limited opportunities in the second after a plethora of chances were created in the opening 45 minutes as Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Bayern's Jupp Heynckes played a bit of cat and mouse.
The match was forced into extra-time and still the calm nature of both teams was apparent with neither sets of players taking any real risk, suggesting a shootout was on the cards.
And that it was, with Bayern triumphant thanks to Bastian Schweinsteiger's cool finish after both keepers had made two huge saves each before Sergio Ramos hammered his attempt over the crossbar.
Munich will go into the decider without the likes of David Alaba, Luis Gustavo Dias and Holger Badstuber who all received second yellow cards for the Madrid tie.
The Bundesliga club will now 'host' this year's final as it is set in Munich's Allianz Arena where they will take on last night's surprise winners over Barcelona - Chelsea - making it a bad week for Spanish football.
UEFA Champions League semi-final - second leg
Real Madrid (ESP): 2 (Cristiano Ronaldo (p) 6'/14') Bayern Munich (GER): 1 (Arjen Robben (p) 27') (*3-3 on aggregate but Munich wins 3-2 on penalties)
Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid - 70,000
Yellow cards:REA - Pepe 27', Alvaro Arbeloa 59', Esteban Granero 115' BAY - David Alaba 5', Arjen Robben 90', Luis Gustavo Dias 102', Holger Badstuber 104'
