Cristiano Ronaldo ‘honoured’ to reach 100-goal mark as Real Madrid claim comeback win at Bayern Munich

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th European goal on Wednesday to give holders Real Madrid a 2-1 comeback win at 10-man Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Uefa Champions League quarter-final. “I wanted to reach this record. To be able to reach this mark is an honour and against a team like Bayern it is even better,” Ronaldo, who scored both goals, told beIN Sports Spain. Arturo Vidal headed Bayern into a first-half lead, but then skied a penalty attempt on the stroke of half-time before Ronaldo volleyed Madrid level. Bayern played the last half an hour a man down after centre-back Javi Martinez was sent off for two fouls on Ronaldo within three minutes of each other. __________________________________ Read more ■ Juventus v Barcelona: The best photos from the first leg in Turin ■ Bayern v Madrid: No strangers to European stage — or each other ■ Dortmund v Monaco: Kylian Mbappe's star continues to rise __________________________________ The four-time world player of the year then slotted in the winner between goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s legs 13 minutes from time. “We believe we can still do it, we were the better team in the first half, could have made it 2-0 or 3-0,” Neuer told ZDF. But Bayern were outplayed in the second-half and most of Madrid’s 23 shots on goal came after the break. “We had everything under control in the first half, but didn’t use the room consistently,” said Bayern captain Philipp Lahm. “The tipping point was the red card.” Security was tight at the Allianz Arena in the wake of Tuesday's attacks on the Borussia Dortmund team bus and both teams arrived with a heavy police escort. Arturo Vidal heads in the opening goal to give Bayern Munich a 1-0 lead. Michael Dalder / Reuters There was a large police presence and inside the stadium there was polite applause when the announcer made reference to Dortmund’s ordeal in the preceding 24 hours. Bayern suffered a blow before kick-off when top-scorer Robert Lewandowski, who has scored 38 goals this season, dropped out with a bruised shoulder and Thomas Muller deputised as striker. Bayern were also missing injured Germany defender Mats Hummels against Madrid’s formidable BBC attack — Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Ronaldo. Bayern went ahead on 25 minutes when playmaker Thiago Alcantara swung in a corner from the right which Vidal powered through Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas’s hands. The Chile midfielder could have added a second when he headed Arjen Robben’s cross wide of the post soon after. Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring the equalising goal. Andreas Gebert / AP Madrid made a poor start, rarely threatening Germany goalkeeper Neuer, back after minor foot surgery two weeks ago. A strong drive from Ronaldo on 41 minutes which Neuer blocked having palmed a Benzema header onto the woodwork with 18 minutes played were their best first-half chances. Vidal could have finished with a first-half hat-trick when he stepped up to take a penalty after Dani Carvajal’s handball from a Franck Ribery shot. However, the Chilean smashed the spot-kick high over the crossbar. It was a miss Bayern were soon to regret. Cristiano Ronaldo scores Real Madrid’s second goal. Matthias Hangst / Getty Images Madrid were level two minutes after the break when Carvajal found space on the right and fired in a cross which Ronaldo volleyed past Neuer. Bale, who has laboured with an ankle injury recently, came off on 58 minutes and Madrid raised the tempo soon after. Having already picked up a yellow card for pulling Ronaldo back on 58 minutes, Martinez was shown a red for again fouling the Portugal captain just three minutes later. Ronaldo then hit the winner as substitute Marco Asensio, on for Bale, put in a low pass for Ronaldo to tap the ball home between Neuer’s legs. Madrid captain Sergio Ramos had the ball in the Bayern net with time running out, but the goal was ruled offside but the Spaniards have the upper hand for the second leg at home next Tuesday. * Agence France-Presse Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport