Mbappe, Falcao send Monaco into semifinals

MONACO, April 20 

Kylian Mbappe and Radamel Falcao struck early as Monaco reached the Champions League semifinals with a 3-1 home win over Borussia Dortmund in an enthralling game on Wednesday that sealed a 6-3 aggregate victory.

French prodigy Mbappe and Colombia striker Falcao scored in the third and 17th minutes before Marco Reus gave the visitors hope with a 48th-minute goal, only for substitute Valere Germain to wrap up the win for the French side nine minutes from time.

Monaco joined Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus in the last four of Europe’s premier club competition, becoming the first French team to achieve the feat since Olympique Lyonnais in 2010.

“We’re happy to be in the semifinals, it’s important for French football,” Falcao said.

Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel was philosophical after a difficult tie from the moment his team’s bus was attacked before the first leg last week.

“Over both games we have the feeling that everything that could go wrong went wrong,” he said.

Bus trouble, again

The kickoff was delayed by five minutes after the German team arrived late at the Louis-II stadium due to traffic problems. Dortmund said on their Twitter feed that the bus had been held up by police at their hotel for 20 minutes.

The incident occurred a week after the first leg was postponed by 24 hours after the Borussia team bus was attacked with explosives on its way to the stadium.

Monaco fans unveiled a “You’ll Never Walk Alone” banner, with the German team’s anthem, which they share with British clubs Liverpool and Celtic.

Monaco, who have now scored three goals in each of their last five Champions League games, made a fast start. Benjamin Mendy’s fierce 25-metre strike was parried by Roman Burki into the path of Mbappe, who coolly slotted home to put the hosts ahead. 

Monaco doubled their tally three minutes later as Falcao perfectly timed his header to beat Burki from Thomas Lemar’s cross from the left. — Reuters