By Canadian Press

Villarreal stuns Bayern to reach Champions League semis

Apr 12, 2022 | 3:44 PM

MUNICH (AP) — Villarreal stunned six-time European champion Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time in 16 years on Tuesday thanks to Samuel Chukwueze’s 88th-minute goal that salvaged a 1-1 draw and a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Villarreal’s 1-0 lead from the first leg was wiped out by Robert Lewandowski seven minutes into the second half, but Chukwueze completed a counterattack within four minutes of coming off the bench to extend the Spanish team’s surprising run in the competition.

The entire city of Villarreal — with a population of 50,000 — could fit into Bayern’s 75,000-capacity stadium.

And while Bayern lifted the European Cup in 2020, the furthest Villarreal has reached in the competition is the semifinals in 2006.

But the same resolve that saw Villarreal beat Manchester United in the 2021 Europa League final has now seen Unai Emery’s side oust both Juventus and Bayern in the knockout phase of the Champions League.

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Edmonton’s Alphonso Davies, a defender for Bayern, came on for Lucas Hernandez in the 87th minute, with Chukwueze’s winner coming shortly after.

Liverpool or Benfica awaits in the semifinals, with the English club holding a 3-1 lead over the Portuguese side heading into Wednesday’s second leg at Anfield.

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The Associated Press