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  Champions League: Saul Niguez hands Atletico Madrid edge

Champions League: Saul Niguez hands Atletico Madrid edge

AFP
Published : Apr 28, 2016, 11:32 pm IST
Updated : Apr 28, 2016, 11:32 pm IST

Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez (right) celebrates after scoring the winner against Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final first leg at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid on Wednesday. The hosts won 1-0.(Photo: AP)

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 28CHAMP_1.jpg

Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez (right) celebrates after scoring the winner against Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final first leg at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid on Wednesday. The hosts won 1-0.(Photo: AP)

A sensational solo effort from Saul Niguez handed Atletico Madrid a precious 1-0 advantage over Bayern Munich from the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday.

The Spanish under-21 international skipped past four Bayern players before firing into the far corner to give Atletico the perfect start after 11 minutes.

Bayern dominated for long spells thereafter, but the closest they came to a vital away goal was a thunderous long-range effort from David Alaba that came back off the crossbar.

Atletico will travel to Bavaria for the return next Tuesday looking to complete the job to reach their second final in three years and exact revenge for their defeat to Bayern in the 1974 final.

“I always had my eye on the goal. It’s the most beautiful and most important goal I’ve scored,” Saul told BeIN Sports Spain.

Bayern lost the first legs of their semi-finals in the previous two seasons to Real Madrid and Barcelona on their way out of the competition.

And the German champions must turn the tie around if coach Pep Guardiola is to avoid missing out on the Champions League in his three-year stay in Munich before joining Manchester City next season.

“It is not a great result for us. It is always unpleasant to have not scored an away goal, but we still have 90 minutes,” said Guardiola.

“We played very well and had enough goal chances, so I am pleased with the performance.

“We have to play more intelligently in the return match, we need patience and we only need a goal to take the game to extra time.”

However, Atletico boss Diego Simeone refused to get carried away after watching his side cling on in the second-half.

“The result gives us the possibility to play in Munich in a fantastic stadium with a chance,” said Simeone.

“The first-half was closer to what we wanted and the second-half was much closer to what they wanted from the start.”

Bayern couldn’t have made a worse start once more in the Spanish capital as, roared on by a vociferous support, Atletico flew out of the blocks early on.

Niguez had already had a long-range effort saved by Manuel Neuer before he opened the scoring in stunning style.

The 21-year-old picked the ball up near halfway and skipped past four half-hearted Bayern challenges before curling a left-footed shot in off the inside of the far post.

Atletico nearly gifted Bayern an equaliser immediately as Jose Maria Gimenez’s miscued clearance pinballed around the area before the Uruguayan atoned for his initial error by clearing off the line.

Bayern were dominant in possession, but struggled to create clear-cut chances against an Atletico side that now hasn’t conceded at home in their last seven Champions League knockout ties.

Alaba shot wide from distance, while Douglas Costa’s free-kick nearly caught out Jan Oblak at his near post.

Yet, it was Atletico who squandered a big chance to make it 2-0 before the break when Antoine Griezmann’s shot from a narrow angle was turned behind by Neuer.

Bayern were completely dominant after the break as Atletico tired and dropped deeper towards their own goal.

Location: Spain, Madrid