Munich: Cristiano Ronaldo netted his 100th European goal to give holders Real Madrid a 2-1 comeback win at 10-man Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinal, first-leg.
“I wanted to reach this record. To be able to reach this mark is an honour and against a team like Bayern it is even better,” Ronaldo said after the match.
Antoine Griezmann’s penalty handed Atletico Madrid a slender 1-0 advantage over Leicester City in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.
Arturo Vidal headed Bayern into a first half lead Wednesday, but then skied a penalty attempt on the stroke of half time before Ronaldo volleyed the defending champions’ level.
Bayern played the last half an hour a man down after centre-back Javi Martinez was sent off for two fouls on Ronaldo within three minutes. Four-time world player of the year Ronaldo then slotted in the winner between goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s legs for the winner 13 minutes from time.
Bayern suffered a blow before the kick-off when top-scorer Robert Lewandowski dropped out with a bruised shoulder and Thomas Muller deputised as striker.
Bayern were also missing injured Germany defender Mats Hummels against Real’s formidable BBC attack – Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo.
Bayern went ahead on 25 minutes when playmaker Thiago Alcantara swung in a corner from the right which Vidal powered through Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas’s hands. The Chilean however missed a spot kick after Dani Carvajal’s handball from a Franck Ribery shot.
Real were level two minutes after the break when Carvajal found space on the right and fired in a cross which Ronaldo volleyed past Neuer.
Real’s superstar then hit the winner as substitute Marco Asensio, on for Bale, put in a low pass for Ronaldo to tap the ball home between Neuer’s legs.
Agence France-Presse
