Bayern Munich are into the last four of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in nine years thanks to a superb strike from Arjen Robben.
The German side were beaten 3-2 on the night by Manchester United at Old Trafford, but Robben’s second half goal was enough to see them prevail on away goals after the scores were level at 4-4 on aggregate.
Bayern’s Champions League form has been patchy in recent years and the last time the Munich side made the semi finals of the competition they went on to win it, defeating Valencia on penalties in 2001.
Louis van Gaal’s outfit looked anything but the likely winners in Manchester when an early onslaught from the hosts, who surprisingly included a half-fit Wayne Rooney in their line-up, saw them two goals up inside eight minutes.
Republic of Ireland midfielder Darron Gibson opened the scoring for United with only two minutes on the clock, after an exchange of passes with Rooney allowed Gibson to fire home from just outside the penalty area.
United doubled their advantage five minutes later when Portugal winger Nani converted Antonio Valancia’s measured cross to put the home side ahead in the tie on aggregate.
Shortly afterwards, Rooney, who had seemingly made an implausibly quick recovery from ankle ligament damage sustained in the first leg of the tie last week, took another knock in the same area and appeared to be struggling.
But United were dominant at that stage and it was no surprise when Nani added the third goal four minutes before the half time interval to put them 3-0 ahead on the night and 4-2 ahead in the tie as a whole.
However, the game changed with seconds to go to the break, when Ivica Olic outfought Michael Carrick and slid the ball past Edwin Van der Sar from an acute angle to give Bayern hope.
The introduction of Mario Gomez (pictured above) at half time helped to turn the tie in Bayern’s direction, as did the sending-off of young United full back Rafael, who was dismissed for his second yellow card after hauling back Franck Ribery five minutes into the second half.
From then on it was the German side in the ascendancy as Ribery tested Van der Sar and Rooney limped out of the game with a recurrence of his ankle problem.
The influential Gomez then produced a fine header from a Philipp Lahm cross that grazed the crossbar before Holland international Robben silenced Old Trafford with his goal.
Robben found his way to the back post from a corner and when the delivery came to him, he produced a stunning left-footed strike that flew past Van der Sar and gave the German side the victory.
Bayern will now face French side Lyon in the last four of the UEFA Champions League, with the winner of that tie facing the winner of Barcelona against Inter Milan.
Keep up-to-date with all of the Champions League action at uefa.com
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