Olympique Lyonnais put up a valiant fight, but Bayern Munich's quality was on full display as the German side claimed a 3-0 victory on Wednesday in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League semifinals.
A positive opening 15 minutes by Lyon was negated by two first-half strikes from Serge Gnabry, followed by a late insurance marker by Robert Lewandowski, as Bayern rolled to yet another dominant Champions League win.
Lyon's forward duo of Memphis Depay and Karl Toko Ekambi will rue their lack of polish in front of goal as each player missed early chances that could've changed the complexion of the game. Instead, it was a lethal finish by Gnabry in the 18th minute that awoke the sleeping giant as Bayern seemed a different team following the opening goal. A rather comical miss 15 minutes later by Lewandowski was redeemed by Gnabry to give Die Roten a two-goal advantage just over a half hour in, and from then on out a composed Bayern held off its overmatched opposition despite some good spells of play from the French club.
With the game stretched in the dying minutes, Lewandowski made up for his earlier miss with a powerful header to put the final nail in the coffin for Les Gones.
Wednesday's result means Bayern will face Paris Saint-Germain in a star-studded final on Sunday, after PSG was victorious in its semifinal by an identical scoreline on Tuesday.
DAZN News provided live updates from Wednesday's match. Here's how it happened.
Full time: Bayern Munich 3, Lyon 0
(All times ET)
Second Half
4:50 p.m. - That's it! Alphonso Davies gets the last touch of the game before the ref whistles to end the game. Bayern advances to the final against PSG.
4:46 p.m. - Three minutes of stoppage starts now.
4:44 p.m. - ⚽️ GOAL BAYERN! Lewandowski was desperate for a goal today, and he finally nods home a free kick delivery from Muller. The Bayern striker has now scored in each of Bayern's nine UCL games this season. Bayern 3, Lyon 0.
4:42 p.m.- 🟡 Thiago Mendes is shown yellow after the Lyon player clatters into Kimmich with a high boot to the back. That could've been a red.
4:39 p.m. -🔁 Pavard and Tolisso get a late cameo for Bayern as Goretzka and Thiago exit.
4:38 p.m. - The game is opening up with 10 minutes remaining. It goes without saying that Lyon needs the next goal.
4:36 p.m. - Now Coutinho does put the ball into the net after a great touch in front. He appears offside at first glance but the replay shows that the Brazilian is on. However, the VAR check upholds the call and the goal is disallowed.
4:34 p.m. - Coutinho nearly has a quick impact as he cuts in from the left side and curls a low strike just wide. That would've been lights out for Lyon.
4:31 p.m.- 🔁 Coutinho makes his entrance as Gnabry gets a well-deserved rest.
4:30 p.m. - Cherki scuffs a good chance for Lyon after Aouar does good work down the left to get the youngster the ball just yards from the goal. It's been that kind of night for the French club.
4:27 p.m. - 20 minutes to go. Lyon's showing more life but the clock is a real enemy now.
4:23 p.m. - 🔁 Double-change for Lyon. Ekambi and Dubois out. Reine-Adelaide and Tete in.
4:19 p.m. - 🔁 Perisic's day is done as Coman is subbed into the game for Bayern.
4:14 p.m. - 🔁 Dembele comes in with a little over 32 minutes to go. Surprisingly, it's Depay who exits.
4:12 p.m. - Depay gets a header on target off a corner kick, but it's straight at Neuer.
4:07 p.m. - Davies has cleaned up two long balls by Lyon to Ekambo along the flank. The Lyon attacker had no chance in outrunning the Canadian speedster, which makes the tactic puzzling.
4:01 p.m. - 🔁 Thiago Mendes enters the match for Guimaraes as Lyon looks to get back into this match. Also, Sule replaces Boateng for Bayern.
First half
3:45 p.m. - No added time as the ref blows for halftime. Lyon will rue two big misses early on as Gnabry and Bayern have made the French side pay dearly. Bayern 2, Lyon 0.
3:42 p.m. - 🟡 The game's second caution goes to Marcal for a foul on Lewandowski.
3:38 p.m. - OOF! Lewandowski misses another sitter after good work from Gnabry to set him up.
3:35 p.m. - 🟡 Yellow card shown to Marcelo after he catches Lewandowski in the face at midfield.
3:33 p.m. - ⚽️ GOAL BAYERN! Gnabry cleans up after Lewandowski somehow doesn't score an absolute sitter from inside the 6-yard box. No matter as Bayern get's the two-goal lead regardess. Bayern 2, Lyon 0.
3:32 p.m. - Kimmich down on the ground and holding his calf after a collision with Guimaraes. He's back up quickly, though.
3:25 p.m. - Gnabry tries another long-range bomb but this one is parried away by Lopes. That came about from a poor headed clearance that landed right at the Bayern goal scorer's feet.
3:18 p.m. - ⚽️ GOAL BAYERN! Gnabry says "enough of this" as he plays himself into the middle of the penalty arc and unleashes an absolute laser into the top-left corner. Bayern 1, Lyon 0.
3:17 p.m. - POST! Ekambi strikes the woodwork after a fortuitous bounce allows him to get past Davies.
3:13 p.m. - An important block by Boateng stops what looked like would be a simple tap-in for Ekambi. Lyon is not holding back.
3:11 p.m. - CHANCE! Goretza is played into the Lyon box but he scuffs his right-footed volley. Still, Lopes was expecting a hard shot and the slowly bobbling ball nearly slips inside the far post if not for a full-stretch dive by the Lyon 'keeper.
3:08 p.m. - This game is being played at a breakneck pace. It'll be interesting to see how long the teams can keep this up.
3:04 p.m. - WHOA! Depay gets a breakaway on a Lyon counterattack but fires it just wide. Neuer did well to meet the Lyon attacker at the top of the Bayern area and force him to shoot wide.
3:00 p.m. - And here we go! Winner gets PSG on Sunday.