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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 18:40:02 GMT
Real Madrid (2) v Bayern Munich (2) Tonight's game. To Qualify for Final Real Madrid 2/5 Bayern Munich 7/4 Madrid strong favourites to go through to the Final to face Dortmund at Wembley, and if it's goals you want to see in the Final then that's the fixture you'll want, a real Fischer v Kasparov blitzer. If you prefer a more defensibly based game, Spassky v Petrosian-stylee, with maybe the odd goal, I fancy an all-German Final is for you.  Carlo Ancelotti has lovingly cradled the Silver Cup four times and is a fond suitor to it.  Whilst Thomas Tuchel would be more than happy just to give it a second good old tonguing. |
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 18:49:35 GMT
Bet Builder 3/1
Half with most goals : 2nd
Both teams to score : Yes
To Qualify : Real Madrid
'To Qualify' is an insurance selection, I have to say. If RM qualify it helps the wager. If they don't I'll be happy anyway.
Well-known Imdb2 celebrity pundit MrFurious adopts this approach for his beloved Liverpool. Backs them not to win and if they do win he's happy anyway. Either way it's a result, Jeff.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 19:12:37 GMT
Thomas Tuchel still resembles an elongated Harold Steptoe - he's hovering over the touchline looking on, almost leering.
Early shout for a Bellingham penalty under Kimmich but shameless Belly goes down too readily and the referee Szymon Marciniak from Poland waves it away with the contempt it deserves.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 19:18:18 GMT
Vinicius finds himself with space in the box*
He's on the corner of the 6 yard box, fires point-blank, Neuur repels it and it falls to Rodrygo - surely! No, Neuur completes a double-save at point-blank range to keep it goalless on 15 minutes.
*How come the ball was fed to Vinicius so quickly? Well, from the initial Real throw-in there were in fact two balls on the field of play, which went unchecked by the ref or anyone else. Had Real scored, it may have opened up a very tangled fishing line indeed.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 19:23:04 GMT
Bayern are yet to have an attempt on target while Madrid have two. It's a bit like last night's opening quarter where Dortmund allowed PSG to do most of the running around and then struck when they were ready. Are we going down the same road here? Well, we are for now as the clock reaches '23.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 19:34:02 GMT
Harry Kane steps up to offer his second contribution of the night after half an hour (his first was being fouled by Carvajal) and he receives a low cross from Kimmich and fires first time low and hard, the ball curling towards the post where Lunin stretches and palms it away.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 19:44:45 GMT
Bayern perform a full 2-minute spell of possession, passing it around in the middle of the park, generally going nowhere but keeping the ball from their opponents. Davis (on for the injured Gnabry) tries to get it going down the right flank but lacks the speed of the player he replaced. The ball is finally captured by Bellingham who breaks the 50-60 pass move by Bayern.
Now Vinicius curls a long one into the area towards Rodrygo who can't get a touch on it - but the ball still curls towards goal where Neuer is savvy enough to be alert enough to palm it clear as half-time approaches.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 19:52:14 GMT
The Polish ref has blown up just outside the centre circle. It's goalless at half time. Madrid have had most of the running just as PSG did last night with nothing in the way of goas to show for it. The threat from Bayern is always visibly lurking in the way they circle any Madrid movement (like ambush predators drawing out the stalking process before finally striking) but they'll have to sharpen their knives to fully open up this Madrid rear-guard.
It's deliciously poised.
0-0 (two-all overall)
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:07:26 GMT
Two minutes into the 2nd half and Kane feeds it through to Davis who shifts into 3rd gear to run on goal at a slight angle. He's free to shoot. He shoots. It's close but takes a slight deflection and soars across the face of goal almost skimming the bar.
Initial assault coming from Bayern in this half.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:08:44 GMT
You get the ides that if the first goal drops, more will soon follow. Come on.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:15:35 GMT
Vinicius outfoxes Kimmich on the byline - totally sells him - but can't overcome the angle to fire successfully on Neuer - and it's straight up the other end now as Kane steams forward, takes a shot, parried by Lunin; it falls to Kane again who is bundled over - no penalty.
Now Vinicius zooms in to feed Rodrygo whose shot rolls inches past the Bayern post.
It's all-go as the hour approaches.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:20:08 GMT
Free-kick to Madrid. Rodrygo stands over it, 25 yards out.
He curls it. He curls it. It's travelling at high speed. Is Neuer equal to it? Well, yes he is.
Vinicius again!!! What a save from Neuer (again) Long shot, power behind it. Vinicius is on fire - he's already done Kimmich four times and now he's shooting freely on goal like his life depended on it.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:23:23 GMT
Kimmich tries for the fifth time to stop Vinicius - and he does, but only by handling the ball to get it off Vinicius. The free-kick doesn't come to anything but Madrid looking increasingly threatening. Bayern under the cosh for now.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:27:41 GMT
GOAL
Alphonso Davis!!! Out of nowhere, Kane loops a high ball forward to where Davis picks it up on the left flank. He goes past one, switches to his weaker right foot for the angle and unleashes a belter! Lunin no chance.
0-1 to Bayern.
Real Madrid stunned.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:31:39 GMT
GOAL!
Real Madrid equalize immediately!
Do they?
The corner comes in. It goes in, I don't know by whom.
But it's gone to VAR.
Foul. Goal disallowed.
VAR are even showing the clip to the crowd.
It went in by de Ligt but the replay shows a foul by Nacho on Kimmich in the build-up. Yes, clearly a foul.
Still 0-1 Bayern.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:47:26 GMT
GOAL
Real Madrid. 88th minute.
It's an absolute HOWLER from Neuer. He's gifted Real Madrid.
Vinicius fires a mild shot on goal from the edge of the area. It's not a Vini-special. It should be easy for Neuer...He cups it. He spills it. He spills it. Joselu on the follow-up knocks it past the hapless Neuer for one-all!!
Incredible f*** up by the Bayern keeper.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 20:51:19 GMT
GOAL
Joselu. Joselu for Madrid!
VAR. It goes to VAR! Offside?
It's good, the goal is good
It's 2-1 Madrid. Can you believe this? 2 goals for Joselu the sub.
5 minutes of added time to play.
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 21:04:51 GMT
The ref blows up for the final time tonight.
Real Madrid will face Dortmund in the Final at Wembley after a breathtaking final fifteen minutes here in Spain.
The Real staff flood on to the pitch. The Bayern staff, including Tuchel who came close to being sent off moments before the whistle, just want the ground to swallow them.
Bayern were confident enough to remove Harry Kane and strengthen up in defence but then Neuer's outrageous error (way out of character, of course) for the Real equalizer set the tempo for a comeback. Two-goal torero Mato Joselu rounded off a finale and we witnessed yet another Lazarus-stylee rising from Ancelotti's men.
2-1 Real.
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Post by Pangolin on May 8, 2024 22:39:22 GMT
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Post by staggerstag on May 8, 2024 22:43:43 GMT
Yes, I'd rather Madrid hadn't come back too, even though it was a great entertainment. Tuchel made one or two iffy subs whereas Carlo's were spot-on. |
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