Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema celebrates scoring during the UEFA Champions League semi-final second-leg football match Real Madrid CF vs FC Bayern Munich in Madrid. Pic/AFP

Real Madrid are within touching distance of a third consecutive Champions League triumph after Karim Benzema scored twice to eliminate Bayern Munich on Tuesday and book their place in the final. Bayern, who trailed 2-1 after last week's opening leg in Germany, looked capable of inflicting this season's latest European comeback when Joshua Kimmich scored early and James Rodriguez levelled shortly after the hour. But Benzema's double in between, the first a header, the second a simple finish following a dreadful error from Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, proved enough as Real hung on for a 2-2 draw, and a 4-3 win on aggregate.