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UEFA Champions League

BAYERN MUNICH SET UP TITANIC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL AGAINST PSG

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Serge Gnabry struck a first-half brace and Robert Lewandowski also scored as a ruthless Bayern Munich taught Lyon a harsh lesson in their Champions League semi-final in Lisbon on Wednesday (Aug 19), winning 3-0 to set up a tantalising final against Paris Saint-Germain.

Lyon squandered two golden opportunities to go ahead early on at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, through Memphis Depay and Karl Toko-Ekambi.

Within seconds of the latter miss, Gnabry had blasted Bayern into an 18th-minute lead in stunning style, and the Germany winger scored again just after the half-hour mark.

Gnabry, who scored four times in Bayern’s 7-2 annihilation of Tottenham Hotspur in the group stage, has now scored nine in nine appearances in this season’s competition.

Lewandowski’s inevitable goal, his 55th of the season, came two minutes from time.

Bayern as a team have 42 goals in 10 Champions League outings, with this more modest victory following their 8-2 trouncing of Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

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They have won all of their European games this season but the biggest test is still to come, against a PSG side who will be a step up from what Hansi Flick’s team faced here.

After all, Lyon came seventh in the last French season, which was shortened because of the coronavirus pandemic. PSG won Ligue 1 and crushed RB Leipzig 3-0 in their semi-final.

It promises to be an enthralling final, even in the bizarre atmosphere behind closed doors in Portugal’s capital.

The German champions are looking to win their sixth European Cup, seven years on from their last Champions League triumph. It will be their 11th final altogether, against a club appearing in their first ever final.

For Lyon there will be disappointment as their second semi-final appearance ends in the same way as their first, a defeat by Bayern in 2010.

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STEP TOO FAR

This was a step too far for Rudi Garcia’s side following their shock successes against Juventus and Manchester City.

Now they must rouse themselves for a new Ligue 1 season which is just about to start, but there will be no European football at all for Lyon in 2020/21, for the first time in 24 years.

They would have had to win this Champions League just to qualify again, and to be fair they will wonder what might have been in this semi-final had they taken at least one of those early chances.

Bayern certainly take risks with their incredibly high line, inviting opponents to try to get in behind them.

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Lyon’s chance arrived inside the fourth minute. Maxence Caqueret intercepted a Thiago Alcantara pass, looked up and released Depay. The Dutchman went round Manuel Neuer but, with the angle tightening, he could only find the side-netting with his shot.

ASTONISHING TRANSFORMATION

The next big let-off for the Bavarians came when Leo Dubois sent a pass in behind and Toko-Ekambi had the chance, getting his shot away at the second attempt but hitting the upright.

Just 49 seconds after that, Lyon were behind.

Gnabry cut in from the right into the middle before letting fly from just inside the box. His thumping left-foot strike gave Anthony Lopes no chance.

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It was a different game after that and Gnabry made it 2-0 in the 33rd minute.

He stole possession in the Lyon half, drove forward and laid the ball out to Ivan Perisic.

The Croatian’s low cross should have been converted by Lewandowski. Lopes managed to save from him but Gnabry converted the follow-up.

It looked like that might be that, as substitute Philippe Coutinho had a late effort disallowed for offside, but Lewandowski made it 3-0 with time running out as he headed home Joshua Kimmich’s free-kick.

Bayern now have 20 consecutive victories and are unbeaten in 29 matches, a run that began last December. Just a few weeks before that Bayern were in a mess, having sacked coach Niko Kovac.

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The transformation under Flick has been astonishing and they are now 90 minutes away from ending this longest of seasons with a treble.

-AFP

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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UEFA Champions League

David strikes as Lille end Real’s long unbeaten run

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Champions League - Lille v Real Madrid - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 2, 2024 Lille's Jonathan David scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

A first-half penalty earned Lille a shock 1-0 home victory over holders Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase on Wednesday, ending the 15-times European Cup winners’ 14-game unbeaten run in the competition.

Jonathan David converted from the spot three minutes into first-half stoppage time to hand Real, who had not lost in their previous 36 matches in all competitions, their first defeat since January.

The result put Ligue 1 side Lille on three points from two games in the new format of Europe’s premier club competition.

Real, who won their opening match against VfB Stuttgart, are also on three points.

“On the penalty, I try to focus, to keep calm to take a good shot but I’m confident when it comes to taking penalties,” David said. “It has not sunk in yet but it’s a memorable night.”

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Real keeper Andriy Lunin said his team had lacked their usual aggression.

“It’s difficult to analyse right after. (We lacked) aggression, creativity, in the end, what we always have,” he said.

“To fight a bit more. In the second half we showed more desire, but in the first half we were worse, that’s obvious. We want to win because we know what colours we’re playing in. But that’s OK. Courage, keep working and prepare for the next game.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s side started with Kylian Mbappe, who joined from Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain in June, on the bench after the France captain picked up a muscle injury last week.

Real’s Vinicius Jr. had the first chance with a low shot in the sixth minute as the visitors controlled the pace and the second came when Endrick’s close-range attempt was blocked by Lucas Chevalier.

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Lille went close to opening the scoring after 26 minutes when Andriy Lunin made a spectacular double save to deny David, first from the forward’s header, then by tipping away the Canadian’s follow-up shot.

Their relentless pressure paid off in stoppage time when Eduardo Camavinga handled Edon Zhegrova’s free kick.

A VAR review ensued and David confidently converted the resulting penalty.

The hosts continued to apply pressure in the second half, refusing to sit back and wait as Real enjoyed possession, cutting off the supply to England midfielder Jude Bellingham.

Ancelotti sent Mbappe and Luka Modric on to replace Endrick and Eder Militao and Lille survived a late Real onslaught to hang on for the victory.

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-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

Ancelotti makes no excuses after Real’s shock defeat at Lille

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Champions League - Lille v Real Madrid - Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France - October 2, 2024 Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti before the match REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Defending champions Real Madrid failed to show the best version of themselves in a shock 1-0 Champions League defeat at Lille on Wednesday and must accept the criticism that comes their way, manager Carlo Ancelotti said.

Lille pressed relentlessly and took the win courtesy of a Jonathan David penalty in first-half stoppage time to hand Ancelotti’s team their first defeat in all competitions since January.

Real Madrid – record 15-times Champions League winners – have three points after two matches following their opening win over VfB Stuttgart.

“Everything was pretty bad. We did badly with the ball, although the team was quite compact in the first half, it was difficult for us to recover the ball, it was difficult for us to make transitions,” Ancelotti told reporters.

“We tried to be a little more aggressive, but it was difficult for us. So… We have to look at things with a cool head, not throw everything away. But obviously we have to improve.

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“I am very sincere. The criticism for today’s game is fair, correct and we have to accept it because it is like that. We have not shown a good version in this game.”

Ancelotti said Lille “deserved” to win despite Real’s improved showing in the second half of the match.

“It was difficult for us to get into the game at the level of intensity, at the level of duels, at the level of clarity of play,” the Italian added.

“Obviously, the game could have been tied because we had opportunities at the end, but it wasn’t deserved.

“So we have to learn, as it happened the last time we lost a game, learn from what we have to improve, which is quite clear. I think it’s not very complicated.”

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Real, who are second in the LaLiga standings with 18 points, next host third-placed Villarreal on Saturday.

-Reuters

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UEFA Champions League

Lookman shines as Atalanta outclass Shakhtar

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Champions League - Shakhtar Donetsk v Atalanta - Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany - October 2, 2024 Atalanta's Ademola Lookman in action with Shakhtar Donetsk's Alaa Ghram REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw

Ademola Lookman scored one goal and was heavily involved in the other two to drive Atalanta to a 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday as the Italians outclassed their Ukrainian opponents in Gelsenkirchen.

Atalanta have four points from two games, having held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw in their opening match, and Shakhtar remained on one point, after they played out a scoreless draw in the first game against Italian side Bologna.

Atalanta went ahead in the 21st minute when Lookman curled a cross into the area which found Berat Djimsiti in front of goal and he controlled the ball before poking it past the keeper.

Atalanta doubled the lead a minute before the break when Sead Kolasinac squared a pass to Lookman in the middle of the area and the Nigerian struck a first-time shot through the legs of his marker Marlon Gomes into the bottom corner of the net.

The game was all but over as a contest three minutes into the second half after Lookman played the ball out wide to Davide Zappacosta and his cross into the six-yard box was headed home by Raoul Bellanova.

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At 3-0, Lookman, who also hit the crossbar in the first half, was taken off with over half an hour to play, his work done for the night and the tie ended with the same scoreline as the last time the sides met in the Champions League in 2019.

-Reuters

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