Champions League semi: Majestic Bayern crush Porto 6-1 to reach semis
Football
By
REUTERS
| Apr 22, 2015
Sensational Bayern Munich destroyed Porto 6-1 to charge into the Champions League semi-finals 7-4 on aggregate and stay on track for a treble in Pep Guardiola's 100th competitive game in charge on Tuesday.
The five-time European champions, who lost 3-1 in the first leg last week, showed no sign of nerves as they dismantled the hapless Portuguese with an impressive attacking display to book a fourth straight last four spot.
Reminiscent of Germany's 7-1 World Cup semi-final demolition of Brazil last year, Bayern scored three times in 13 minutes through Thiago Alcantara, Jerome Boateng and Robert Lewandowski, to wipe out their quarter-final, first leg deficit.
Two more goals before the break from Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller, who became Germany's record scorer in the competition with 27, and a late Xabi Alonso free-kick finished off Porto, who had Ivan Marcano sent off in the 87th for a second booking.
Despite missing Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery and David Alaba among others, and rocked by the sudden departure of their long-time team doctor, Bayern took the initiative from the start.
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The hosts, who have won all five home games in this season's competition, made their intentions clear early on when their Poland striker Lewandowski hit the post in the 10th minute.
THREE HEADERS
Spaniard Thiago, recently back from a year out injured, made their dominance count four minutes later, heading in at the near post from a Juan Bernat cross to take the lead on the night.
With the home fans urging on their team, Jerome Boateng got the second goal Bayern were looking for in the 22nd, rising high to bury another head as the visitors' defence struggled to contain Bayern on the wings.
Although a 2-0 scoreline would have been enough to send them through on away goals, Bayern did not let up and Lewandowski made it three headed goals, drilling in his first of the game in the 27th as Bayern ripped Porto's rearguard to shreds.
Mueller's deflected shot in the 36th made it 4-0 before Lewandowski grabbed his second four minutes later.
Bayern took their foot off the gas after the break, opting to keep possession, and Jackson Martinez pulled one back for the visitors in the 73rd before they were reduced to 10 men when Marcano got a second yellow card for a rash challenge.
Bayern put the icing on the cake with their sixth goal in the 88th minute as they preserved Spaniard Guardiola's impressive record of never having a team eliminated at the Champions League quarter-final stage.