Man Utd's cast-offs send Real into the semi-finals.

Chicharito scored in the 88th minute to help Real Madrid beat Atletico 1-0 in the second leg of the quarter-finals yesterday, April 22nd. That was also the aggregate score, keeping the reigning Champions League champions' hopes alive of defending their title.

Chicharito joined Real Madrid on loan last summer, after being sidelined during Louis Van Gaal's squad overhaul at Manchester United. At the Bernabeu, the Mexican player has also been a secondary option for manager Carlo Ancelotti as he searches for attacking options.

Had it not been for Modric, Bale, and Benzema all being injured, forcing the Italian coach to shuffle the lineup yesterday, Chicharito would probably have had little chance of starting. And if Ancelotti hadn't run out of viable alternatives, the Mexican striker would likely not have remained on the pitch until the end of the match, after being incredibly wasteful with at least three clear chances.

However, despite what might have been considered a humble position, Chicharito shone at the moment Real needed him most. In the 88th minute, true to the style that had helped build his brand when he first joined Man Utd, the striker was in the right place at the right time in the penalty area, receiving the ball from Ronaldo to score into an empty net.

Chicharito was thrilled with his goal that sent Real Madrid into the Champions League semi-finals. Photo: Reuters.

That was Chicharito's first goal, ending his 895-day Champions League goal drought. For Real, it not only ended their winless streak against Atletico Madrid, a nemesis in which Ancelotti's team had been undefeated in all seven previous encounters this season (three draws, four losses).

Chicharito's seemingly simple goal became the ticket that propelled Real Madrid into the semi-finals, giving the star-studded team under coach Ancelotti hope of breaking the historical jinx and becoming the first team in the Champions League era to successfully defend their title.

However, before erupting in excitement over Chicharito's crucial goal and securing a place in the semi-finals for their team, the Bernabeu also experienced genuine anxiety and apprehension, due to Real's helplessness against the frustrating defensive style displayed by their city rivals.

Similar to the previous seven encounters since the start of the season, yesterday's quarter-final second leg unfolded with Real Madrid launching relentless, dominant attacks, while Atletico Madrid defended resolutely, waiting for opportunities to launch counter-attacks. Post-match statistics partly reflect this, with Real Madrid holding possession for 63%, having four times as many shots (23 vs. 6), and having four times as many shots on target (8 vs. 2).

Real Madrid were largely helpless for much of the second leg of the semi-final against the solid and unwavering Atletico defense and goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Photo: AP.

That dominance was a great effort from Real, as they don't usually suffer as much from the injury crisis as they did yesterday. Despite the absence of numerous key players, Ancelotti found an optimal system to operate his familiar attacking style. He brought in a defensive midfielder, Pepe, to play, freeing Toni Kroos and Isco and James on the flanks to support the Ronaldo-Chicharito attacking duo in a 4-4-2 formation that isn't Real's forte this season.

But Atletico Madrid were no pushover either, responding well to their opponents' changes and holding firm for most of the game thanks to the brilliance of two players. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak, in a stellar performance, denied three seemingly certain goalscoring opportunities: two from Ronaldo, a free-kick in the 33rd minute, and a one-on-one in the 43rd minute, and one from Chicharito, a dangerous shot into the bottom corner in the 80th minute.

With Arda Turan assigned to closely mark Ronaldo, Atletico successfully neutralized Real's most dangerous threat for most of the match. The reigning Ballon d'Or winner and Real only found things easier from the 76th minute onwards, after Turan received a second yellow card and was sent off. This set the stage for Ronaldo to make his mark in the 88th minute. He carried the ball from the right, played a one-two with James to penetrate the penalty area, and then set up Chicharito to beat Oblak, sealing the fate of the game.

The indirect red card given to Arda Turan (number 10) by the referee was the turning point, allowing Real to play more freely and score a goal shortly afterwards. Photo: Reuters.

Real will find out who their next opponent will be among Barca, Bayern and Juventus, when UEFA conducts the draw for the semi-finals in Nyon tomorrow, April 24th.

According to VNE