Vinícius Júnior Double Earns Real Madrid Draw at Bayern Munich
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday. Vinícius Júnior was the star for Madrid, scoring twice to cancel out goals from Leroy Sané and Harry Kane.
Bayern dominated the opening stages, but Madrid took the lead against the run of play when Vinícius Júnior raced onto a through ball from Toni Kroos and slotted past Manuel Neuer. Bayern equalized in the second half through Sané, but Kane put the hosts ahead from the penalty spot just four minutes later.
Madrid were awarded a penalty of their own late on when Kim Min-jae brought down Rodrygo, and Vinícius Júnior made no mistake from the spot. The result leaves the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg in Madrid on May 8.
Vinícius Júnior's performance was particularly impressive. The Brazilian forward was a constant threat to the Bayern defense, and his two goals were crucial in keeping Madrid in the tie.
Toni Kroos also played a key role for Madrid. The German midfielder returned to his former club and put in a typically composed performance, dictating the tempo of the game and creating chances for his teammates.
Bayern will be disappointed not to have won the first leg at home, but they will still be confident of reaching the final. The German champions have a strong record at the Allianz Arena, and they will be looking to use their home advantage to their advantage in the second leg.
Tags: #ChampionsLeague, #RealMadrid, #BayernMunich, #ViniciusJunior, #ToniKroos
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