Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Sports

Olic brace sends Bayern into semis

By Reuters
Published | Updated

By Karolos Grohmann

MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - Bayern Munich's Ivica Olic struck twice give his team a 2-0 win over Olympique Marseille on Tuesday and send them into the Champions League semi-finals with a 4-0 aggregate victory.

Four-time European champions Bayern look set to meet nine-time winners Real Madrid in a mouth-watering semi-final later this month, with the Spanish club hosting APOEL Nicosia on Wednesday and holding a 3-0 advantage from the first leg in Cyprus.

Bayern, who booked their spot in the competition's last four for the second time in three seasons with their 13th win in the last 14 Champions League home games, are desperate for a final appearance that will be hosted by Munich on May 19.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes opted to leave winger Arjen Robben and Gomez, who has scored 11 goals in the competition, on the bench, and start instead with Olic, set to leave at the end of the season, and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.

Marseille, who needed to score at least three goals, had two shots on target in the opening minutes but Bayern got the early goal they wanted, dashing any French hopes when former Marseille player Ribery cut back into the box for Olic to slot in.

The French reacted instantly but Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer did well to palm a powerful Stephane Mbia shot over the bar.

The Germans gradually got more and more possession, threatening with a thundering Tymoshchuk drive in the 27th before Marseille keeper Steve Mandanda denied Olic from close range seconds later.

Olic, who has been sidelined by Gomez with the Germany international scoring 23 times in the league this season, got his second of the evening, timing his run to connect with Alaba's low cross

It was the end of an unexpected run for the 1993 European champions Marseille, who have now lost nine of their last 10 games in all competitions and are ninth in Ligue 1.

(Editing by Dave Thompson. To comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com; dave.thompson@thomsonreuters.com +44 207 542 7933; Reuters messenger: dave.thompson.reuters.com@reuters.net; Please double click on the newslink for more Champions League soccer)