Bayern Munich Recover From Ribery Red Card

Bayern Munich have a slender lead over Lyon after the first leg of the Champions League semi final.

Having shown great form at the weekend in the Bundesliga, thrashing Hanover 7-0, Bayern Munich, who had put out Manchester United in the previous round, were the favourites going into the match.

And it was all Bayern Munich in the opening minutes of the game as the German side had most of the possession and pushed forward against a defensive Lyon.

A sting of opportunities fell to Munich and they could easily have been two or three ahead by the half hour mark.

And when Frank Ribery was sent off in the thirty seventh minute it looked like the home side may just regret those missed opportunities.

It was a moment of madness from Ribery when, after over-running the ball, went in studs up on the ankle of Lopez.

It was an immediate red from referee Roberto Rosetti and Bayern Munich were down to ten men and Ribery will miss the second leg.

With Ribery off the field Lyon began playing with more confidence as they surged down the field trying to make their extra man advantage count.

But on the half time whistle it was still 0-0. Less than ten minutes into the second half and Bayern Munich should have been ahead as Muller received the ball from Lahm.

But with just the keeper to beat Muller fell over the ball and the best chance of the match for the German side went begging.

Just a minute later Lyon's extra man advantage was taken away as Toulalan was given his marching orders for a second yellow card.

Back on level terms and it was Bayern Munich who pushed forward, finally breaking the stalemate on sixty nine minutes.

The goal came from Robben as swerved in the ball, taking a deflection from Muller, to give them the lead.

Speaking to the BBC after the match Bayern Munich's coach Louis van Gaal said: "I am very satisfied. I think that we showed Europe how strong we are, we showed that by dominating with 10 men against 11.

"I did not think that we would win 1-0 with Ribery getting a red card, but we dominated. I think we created more chances when we were with 10 men against 11.

"When we were then 10 against 10 I sent in (another striker) Mario Gomez to score a goal faster. We created many chances but scored one goal. That is good."

The German side must now travel to Lyon for the second leg next week.