MADRID, May 4: Real Madrid's expensive misfit Nicolas Anelka finally came good when it mattered here Wednesday, scoring the first goal in his club's 2-0 win over Germany's Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final first leg tussle at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, reports AFP.

Real, stung by two heavy defeats at Bayern's hands in the second group phase, elected to opt for an ambitious attacking line-up with French international Anelka joining Raul - the Spaniards' hero at Old Trafford in the last round - as well as Fernando Morientes, recovered from a toe injury that had threatened his place.

Morientes eventually gave way to Brazilian Savio on the hour, by which time Real were two goals to the good with the unfortunate Jens Jeremies putting through his own goal for the second goal on 33 min-

The winners of the tie are likely to face Valencia, who haminered Barcelona 4-1 in the all-Spanish semi on Tuesday in the Paris final on May 24.

"1 believe that with the teamin their current form we can hold on to our advantage." Said Real coach Vicente Del Bosque. We played very well in the first half and kept our discipline in the second."

The whole team played very wqll., esip^ci^Uy .th^ defence. Tonight was a big step forward. But we have to be realistic, it's not over yet. Bayern can still win their home leg." he added Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said he was disappointed with his team's showing but said that he knew they were capable of overturning the deficit.

"The early goal was a dreadful start for us and threw us off balance. Thereafter we were always chasing the game.

"We were having great difficulty keeping possession and by the time we got it together we were 2-0 down after an unlucky own goal. We also failed to make many clear-cut chances.

"But 1 am optimistic. 1 know we can play a lot better. We still have a chance." he added.

Wednesday's encounter brought together two of the most successful sides in Champions Cup history with 27-times Spanish champions Real having won a record seven titles in all and Bayern three.

Real last won the event two seasons ago. seeing off Juventus 1 -0 in Amsterdam for their seventh crown. But since then they have fired four coaches with former player Del Bosque now in charge.

Bayern, losing finalists last

season as well as in 1982 and 1987. have been watting 24 years for a fourth continental title and have had to steer through the tournament's latter stages this year without talis-manic libero Lothar Matthaus, now playing with the Met-roStars in New York.

Since their two earlier reverses against Bayern earlier in the season, a 4-2 beating on their own patch and a 4-1 setback in Germany. Real have kickstarted their season with a 3-2 victory in England last month to eliminate defending champions Manchester United in the quarter-finals hugely boosting morale - Del Bosque described that as the best result of his career.

Anelka, who like England winger Steve McManaman has not found settling in an easy process, earlier in the week vowed he wanted to stay at the club despite his much-documented problems in Spain this year.

Although Morientes won his fitness battle the hosts were without experienced skipper Fernando Hierro, while Bayern also were not at full strength with skipper Stefan Effenberg and Alexander Zickler ruled

The Bavarians, desperate to atone for their defeat-from-the-jaws-of-victory in last season's final in Barcelona, have also been struggling to keep up with Bayer Leverkusen as they attempt to win another .Buu-, desllga title. : ,

Real's gamble to attack paid a handsome early dividend when they took the lead after just three-and-a-half minutes through Anelka, who. despite a strong hint of offside, took a ball through the inside left channel from Raul before lifting a right-footed shot past keeper Oliver Kahn into the net.

Despite the ups and downs which have dogged Anelka since his 37 million-dollar move from Arsenal last summer. the gangly Frenchman was striking up a good understanding with Raul in particular.

In fact. Real were making a conscious effort to give Anelka the space he thrives on and he chose the perfect moment to score his first goal of the tournament - club president Lorenzo Sanz had predicted earlier that "tonight Anelka is going to do something special."

Bayern had their first chance on 16 minutes when Brazilian Giovane Elber. partnering Paulo Sergio in an allBrazilian attack. turned smartly to drive straight at Real's teenage keeper Iker Casillas.

But the Bayern threat receded as quickly as it had arisen in what was an unin-

spired showing by the Germans.

Two minutes later Anelka, dubbed "Anelkalser" by Wednesday's Spanish press, almost set up Morientes but his low cross was deflected away for a corner which came to nothing.

Bayern were struggling to hold their back line together and had a let off after 21 minutes when Raul set up Morientes for a close range finish which was ruled out for offside.

Real's Aitor Karanka was booked by Swedish referee Anders Frisk on the half hour for bringing down Paulo Sergio, meaning the Spaniard will miss the return match in Munich next week as will Michel Salgado, who was booked before going off Injured In the closing stages.

Bayern's luck proved to be out with the second goal as international midfielder Jeremies, in trying to cut out a pass from Raul into the box intended for Salgado, could only turn the ball past the spreadea-gled Kahn.

Bayern attempted to respond and Michael Tarnat sent a long-range effort flashing just wide of Casillas' left hand post. Casillas then blocked a Paulo Sergio effort with his legs as Bayern pressed in vain for an away goal.

After the break Kahn had to be alert to block a Morientes effort before Mehmet Scholl sent a right footer over the bar for Bayern on 59 minutes.

Elber followed suit ten min- -utes later as the visitors continued to lack any real urgency up front.

At the other end. Savio forced Kahn into a good stop with a ferocious low drive from the left.

Tempers almost boiled over near the end as Reals Brazilian wingback Roberto Carlos was yellow-carded for hacking down Thorsten Fink.

With 12 minutes remaining Bayern boss Hitzfeld. who led Borussia Dortmund to the 1997 title at the expense of Juventus, made a double switch to rejig his side’s tepid forward line as Carsten Jancker came on for Bosnian Hasan Sallhamidzic and Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz replaced the disappointing Giovane Elber.

But their introduction was to no avail.

Real, who took off the tiring Anelka and sent on Elvir Balic for the final ten minutes, almost managed a third when Kahn tipped over a vicious 25-yarder from Raul.

As time started to run out on the Germans defender Markus Babbel came up for a Mehmet Scholl corner from the right but his header flashed wide.