Mario Gomez struck a 90th-minute winner to move Bayern Munich a step closer to appearing in the UEFA Champions League final with a narrow 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Allianz Arena tonight.

Franck Ribery gave Bayern the lead in the 17th minute of the semi-final first leg, but German midfielder Mesut Ozil levelled early in the second half. Bayern dominated for large parts of the game and found a deserved winner in the last minute through the prolific Gomez, giving them a slender advantage to take to Spain next week.

"We have the second leg to come and it's not like we have to make a historical comeback, what we have to do is very achievable," said Real coach Jose Mourinho. "If we win at home, we are there. I am optimistic we can return here to play the final. It's the first defeat in this Champions League for us but it's not one that leaves me with negative feelings."

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, meanwhile, was delighted with his team's performance as they fought until the end. "All in all, we deserved to win," said the Bayern coach. "Madrid started well, but we took command and played very cleverly. I had said we would play with passion for 90 minutes and the players did just that. A great compliment to my team, they ran very hard and played a great game. They gave everything."

Real had the better of the first ten minutes, but all they could produce was a shot from Karim Benzema which Manuel Neuer tipped over the crossbar after Bastian Schweinsteiger uncharacteristically gave away possession in midfield. Bayern responded and took the game to their visitors.

Franck Ribery felt he should have had a penalty when he went to ground under a challenge from Sergio Ramos inside the area, but play was waved on. But the French winger was soon celebrating as he rifled Bayern in front with a shot from ten yards, which only just avoided Luiz Gustavo in an offside position.


I am optimistic we can return here to play the final.
Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid coach

The hosts were looking dangerous every time they came forward, and those attacks were becoming increasingly frequent, with Arjen Robben marauding down the right and Ribery causing confusion in the Madrid defence down the Bayern left. But they failed to make their pressure count with Gomez's shot turned behind by Iker Casillas just before the break.

And Real levelled on the counter-attack eight minutes after the break. Cristiano Ronaldo looked to have wasted the chance when his tame effort, one-on-one with the keeper, was saved by Neuer. But Karim Benzema picked up the rebound and took the ball back into the area, playing it across goal to Ronaldo, whose clever pull-back gave Ozil a tap-in from a yard out.

Real enjoyed their best spell of the game with Bayern and many of the 66,000 fans in the Allianz Arena becoming increasingly anxious. The Bavarians regrouped and soon got back on top of the game, though. Gomez spurned an excellent chance to put them back in front in the 71st minute when he lifted the ball over the bar from close range after being teed up unwittingly by Sergio Ramos.

Gomez headed straight at Casillas as the hosts continued to be frustrated in their attempts to find another goal. Two Bayern claims for a penalty were waved away as Bayern kept on pressing, but their pressure finally paid off in the 90th minute.

Philipp Lahm got to the byline down the right and fired a ball into the area which Gomez, sliding in, bundled over the line at the near post.