Champions League
Quarterfinal draw to be held today
BERLIN, March 18: Title holders Bayern Munich beat Lazio 2-1 and 6-2 on aggregate to reach the Champions League quarterfinals for a record 19th time.
Robert Lewandowski converted a first-half penalty and substitute Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting got the second for Bayern who had effectively sealed the tie with a 4-1 win in Rome last month, DPA news agency reported.
Munich broke a tie with Barcelona as they reached the last eight for a record 19th time since the elite event was rebranded as Champions League in 1992-93.
Chelsea, meanwhile, completed a 3-0 aggregate success over Atletico Madrid with a 2-0 victory courtesy of Hakim Ziyech in the first half and Emerson in stoppage time at home. The visitors had Stefan Savic sent off in the 81st minute.
Bayern and Chelsea completed the quarterfinal field which also includes Liverpool, Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, record winners Real Madrid, last year’s finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Porto.
The draw for the quarterfinals is on Friday.
Alexander Nuebel got a rare start between the posts in snowy Munich to replace the ill Manuel Neuer and Bayern with their three-goal cushion controlled the action as Leroy Sane curled just inches wide left in the 13th minute.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic had a dangerous header for Lazio but Bayern were on top in the 33rd when Lewandowski converted into the bottom left corner from the spot after Leon Goretzka was pulled down by Vedad Muriqi.
Lewandowski hit the left post in the 66th minute, left the pitch five minutes later for Choupo-Moting who needed only two minutes to make it 2-0 by lobbing home off David Alaba’s long ball.
Marco Parolo headed a late consolation goal for Lazio off a free-kick but Italy now has no team left in the competition as Juventus and Atalanta also went out in the last 16.
At Stamford Bridge, Atletico pleaded in vain for a penalty when Yannick Carrasco went down after being lightly pulled by Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta.
The Spanish league leaders’ misery grew when Chelsea opened the scoring in the 34th minute, with Timo Werner crossing low from the left on the counter for the Moroccan Ziyech to tap home between the legs of Jan Oblak.– IANS
