Football: Benzema double takes Real to final

Karim Benzema celebrates after scoring Real Madrid's opening goal. Photo / AP

Real Madrid are within touching distance of a third consecutive Champions League football triumph after Karim Benzema scored twice to eliminate Bayern Munich and book their place in the final.

Bayern, who trailed 2-1 following last week's opening leg in Germany, looked capable of inflicting this season's latest European comeback when Joshua Kimmich scored early and James Rodriguez levelled shortly after the hour.

But Benzema's double in between, the first a header, the second a simple finish following a dreadful error from Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, proved enough as Real hung on for a 2-2 draw, and a 4-3 win on aggregate.

"It was a perfect night for me and for everyone," Benzema said.

Benzema's two goals were another feather in the cap for coach Zinedine Zidane, who had decided to start the French striker, despite only one goal in his previous 12 games.

It was another brave call from Real's coach, who now stands on the brink of history himself, with Carlo Ancelotti and Bob Paisley the only other managers to have ever won Europe's premier competition three times.

Liverpool or Roma will certainly offer a stern test in Kiev later this month but, having now seen off Bayern, the German champions, Paris Saint-Germain, the French champions, and Juventus, who sit top of Serie A, the feeling is that a 13th European success is now Real's to lose.

"It was a crazy match," Zidane said. "We struggled in the beginning, conceding early and not being able to play our game. But it was a lot better in the second half. We pressed up front and got the second goal."

The German club, who have been knocked out in the Champions League semifinals in four of the last five seasons, had several good chances in the final minutes but were unable to capitalise.

"We were the best team in both games but we were not able to reach the final," Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said.

"We dominated. They should thank [goalkeeper Keylor] Navas for his performance, especially toward the end of the match.

"It was tough to concede that goal so early in the second half," Heynckes said. "It was a gift."