Olic gives final touch

Ivica Olic netted a hat-trick as Bayern Munich defeated Lyon 3-0 here on Tuesday to qualify for the Champions League final for the first time since they last won the competition in 2001.

Ivica Olic netted a hat-trick as Bayern Munich defeated Lyon 3-0 here on Tuesday to qualify for the Champions League final for the first time since they last won the competition in 2001. The Croatia striker extended Bayerns 1-0 lead from last weeks semi-final first leg in Munich in the first half and put the tie beyond Lyons reach with a pair of strikes in the second period.

Lyon were bidding to reach their first ever European final but saw Michel Bastos and Bafetimbi Gomis spurn the best chances that came their way. The hosts had captain Cris sent off midway through the second half after being shown two yellow cards in quick succession.

Bayern will aim for a fifth European title in the final in Madrid on May 22. Coach Louis van Gaal will be aiming to become just the third man to guide two different teams to Europes top club honour,having tasted Champions League glory with Ajax in 1995.

After seeing his side outplayed in Munich,Lyon coach Claude Puel made his attacking intentions clear by naming wingers Bastos,Sidney Govou and Cesar Delgado in his line-up in support of Lisandro Lopez. With barely two minutes on the clock,Olic robbed Cris wide on the right and centred for Thomas Mueller,but with only Hugo Lloris to beat he clipped his first-time shot narrowly wide from 10 yards.

The goal the Lyon fans dreaded arrived in the 26th minute when Robbens pass down the inside-left channel found Mueller,who teed up Olic to spin away from his marker and score.

Lyons evening went from bad to worse shortly before the hour when Cris received his marching orders,picking up two yellow cards in the space of a minute for fouling Olic and then sarcastically applauding the referees decision.

The hosts responded with a stinging shot from Govou that Hans-Joerg Butt palmed away before Olic killed off any lingering hopes of a comeback by scampering onto Hamit Altintops pass and beating Lloris with a crisp finish. Olic secured possession of the matchball in the 77th minute when he nodded home Philipp Lahms cross from the right.

Ribery banned

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Bayern playmaker Franck Ribery will miss the Champions League final after he was handed a three-match suspension by UEFA on Wednesday. Ribery was sent off for serious foul play in the first leg of Bayerns semi-final victory over Lyon,and European soccers ruling body has confirmed he will be banned for three games. Ribery did not play in the second leg of the semi-final in Lyon on Tuesday.