CL: Karim Benzema double strike sends Real Madrid into final

Real Madrids players Marcelo Karim Benzema Sergio Ramos Daniel Ceballos celebrate after the UEFA Champions League semifinal secondleg football match Real Madrid CF vs FC Bayern Munich in Madrid Spain PicAFPReal 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 21 after last weeks opening leg in Germany looked capable of inflicting this seasons latest European comeback when Joshua Kimmich scored early and James Rodriguez levelled shortly after the hourBut Benzemas 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 22 draw and a 43 win on aggregate Benzemas two goals here were another feather in the cap for coach Zinedine Zidane who had decided to start the French striker despite only one goal in his previous 12 games He deserved to score he has worked hard and he has never given anything less than his all Zidane told BeINSportIt was another brave call from Reals coach who now stands on the brink of history himself with Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley the only other managers to have ever won Europes premier competition three timesLiverpool or Roma will certainly offer a stern test in Kiev later this month but having now seen off Bayern the German champions Paris SaintGermain the French champions and Juventus who sit top of Serie A the feeling is that a 13th European success is now Reals to lose No surprise then that Zidane said the Champions League is in the DNA of the club We never stop fighting up to the very last minute just as the Bayern players did tonight he added Zidane sprung a surprise by dropping Casemiro to the bench and bringing the more mobile Mateo Kovacic into midfield while Lucas Vazquez played in the unfamiliar role of right back It meant no place again in the starting lineup for Gareth Bale who was named as a substitute for the fifth time in six knockout matches Bernabeu on edge Bayern meanwhile were without a host of star players with Javi Martinez Arturo Vidal Arjen Robben Jerome Boateng Kingsley Coman and Manuel Neuer all injured Martinez was fit enough to make the bench Kimmich had given Bayern the lead after 28 minutes at the Allianz Arena and here he did it in three slamming home after Sergio Ramos poked Corentin Tolissos cross straight to his feet Real were rattled their fans tetchy and if Bayern had held on for longer the pressure might have toldInstead the home side were level by the 11th minute Benzema peeling free of David Alaba at the back post and heading in Marcelo and Toni Kroos both weaved their way into Bayerns sixyard box but failed to pick a final pass while at the other end Vazquez was enduring a torrid time at right back After another ball was threaded inside the wingers left shoulder Robert Lewandowski unleashed and James should have scored but was unable to adjust his body to the followupA breathless opening 45 minutes ended with Bayern wanting a penalty as the ball struck Marcelo on the arm but referee Cuneyt Cakir waved away the appeals Real were certainly the more relieved to hear the halftime whistle but they were given a gift shortly after the restart Tolissos backpass was misjudged and underhit but Ulreich still had the chance to clear Instead the keeper got his feet in a tangle and ended up in a heap on the floor presenting Benzema with an open netMy team played an outstanding game I havent seen Bayern play as well as that for years Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said But at this high level you cant make the sort of mistakes we made after halftime The game looked finished but Bayern came again and after 10 minutes of desperate Real defending it was no surprise when they scored James chased down his own rebound before beating Keylor Navas at the near post The onloan Colombian chose not to celebrate against his parent club Bayern had 27 minutes to find a third and there were a handful of near misses Thomas Muller was denied by Navas and Mats Hummels headed agonisingly wide in injury time but Real held on for their fourth final in five yearsReal Madrids players Marcelo Karim Benzema Sergio Ramos Daniel Ceballos celebrate after the UEFA Champions League semifinal secondleg football match Real Madrid CF vs FC Bayern Munich in Madrid Spain PicAFPCatch up on all the latest T20 news and updates here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates