Bayern Munich defeated Olympique Lyonnais 3-0 to secure a place in the UEFA Champions League 2020 final.
Having beaten Barcelona 8-2 in the quarterfinal, Bayern on Wednesday arrived into the semifinal as heavy favourites and did not disappoint, though Lyon made life difficult for them in the opening stages, reports Xinhua news agency.
The French side started the game well, filling the spaces and not allowing Bayern midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Leon Goretzka time and space on the ball.
Lyon even hit the post in the 16th minute, with striker Memphis Depay wasting what might have been the first goal of the game.
Lyon were made to pay for Depay’s profligacy immediately afterwards as Serge Gnabry received a long throw from Joshua Kimmich and dribbled past three opponents before rifling an unstoppable shot past Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes.
Bayern doubled their lead shortly afterwards when Ivan Perisic drilled a cross into the box, and although Robert Lewandowski’s effort hit Lopes, Gnabry was on hand to tap home the rebound to make it 2-0 after 32 minutes.
Lyon coach Rudi Garcia rang the changes at half-time, but his side was unable to overcome Bayern’s dominance, and Lewandowski made sure of the result in the dying minutes when he headed home Benjamin Pavard’s cross.
Bayern will now face French champions Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday’s final, when the German side will be looking to win their sixth European Cup title.
Bayern Munich on Wednesday overpowered Olympique Lyon 3-0 in the semifinals of the ongoing UEFA Champions League. The win by the Bavarians at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal, secured their place in the final against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Having beaten Barcelona 8-2 in the quarterfinal, Bayern had arrived as the favourites against new-entrant Lyon in the last four. Despite some threatening moments in the initial stages by the French team, the German champions did not have a very challenging day at the office.
Lyon had started the game well, filling the spaces and not allowing Bayern midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Leon Goretzka time and space on the ball.
Lyon even hit the post in the 16th minute, with striker Memphis Depay wasting what might have been the first goal of the game.
However, their party did not last long. Upon receiving a long ball from Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry dribbled past three Lyon players and fired home the first goal of the night past keeper Anthony Lopes in the 16th minute.
Hansi Flick’s men, like they have shown throughout the season, were not to sit back with just one-goal lead. Ivan Perisic drilled a cross into the box, and although Robert Lewandowski’s effort hit Lopes, Gnabry was on hand to tap home the rebound to make it 2-0 after 32 minutes.
Lyon coach Rudi Garcia introduced a few changes at the half-time, but the Bayern players proved too hot too be handled and continued with their dominance for the rest of the match.
Europe’s highest scorer this season, Lewandowski, too, added his name on the scoresheet in the dying minutes of the match with a header off Benjamin Pavard’s cross.
Lyon coach Rudi Garcia rang the changes at half-time, but his side was unable to overcome Bayern’s dominance, and Lewandowski made sure of the result in the dying minutes when he headed home Benjamin Pavard’s cross. The Polish striker’s tally this season stands at 55 goals.