Efficient Real Madrid making an art form of scoring when least expected

MUNICH (AP) — Real Madrid has made an art form of striking when least expected.

Bayern Munich was so dominant in the Champions League semifinal on Tuesday that it seemed only a matter of time before it scored. But Madrid pounced instead.

Vinícius Júnior ran onto a brilliant Toni Kroos pass and fired the visitors ahead in the 24th minute with their first chance.

“I know that Viní prefers the ball in space than at his feet,” Kroos said. “Then he makes his move. He makes the pass easy for me with his run.”

Madrid’s knack for scoring goals out of nothing is a trait that plays on rivals’ minds as Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka acknowledged after the teams' 2-2 draw.

“We let Vinícius out our eye for a bit and then there was a huge hole,” Goretzka said. “There wasn’t the feeling that something dangerous could happen but that’s the quality of Real and you need to be ready for it all the time.”

Bayern dominated possession and goal attempts (14-8) but the two-leg series remains wide open ahead of the return semifinal match in Madrid next week.

“We had that last season too against Paris with Neymar and (Kylian) Mbappé, they’re just players with unbelievable quality,” Goretzka said. “It’s extremely dangerous when they’re up front. You always have to have a top defense and of course you can’t march forward blindly, no question.”

Madrid should arguably have gone on to score more after Vinícius opened the scoring as Bayern’s confidence took a blow and the home team no longer dominated.

Manuel Neuer made a fine save to deny Kroos and Madrid was in the ascendancy when Leroy Sané equalized with a fierce strike inside the right post and Harry Kane converted a penalty for Bayern.

Vinícius scored again after coolly converting a late penalty to level the match.

“Real Madrid always makes moves,” Vinícius said. “Now we have to be concentrated for the 90 minutes, or 120 if needed, at the Bernabéu.”

The winner will play Borussia Dortmund or Paris Saint-Germain in the final in London on June 1. Dortmund and PSG were to play the first leg of their semifinal in Dortmund on Wednesday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, covered by his teammates, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal on a penalty kick during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Christian Bruna)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, centre, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's second goal on a penalty kick during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Christian Bruna)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, centre, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's second goal on a penalty kick during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Christian Bruna)

Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's second goal by a penalty during the Champions League, semifinal first leg, soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side's second goal by penalty during the Champions League, semifinal first leg, soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (Matthias Balk/dpa via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California legislator backed by former President Donald Trump has captured a special election to complete the remainder of the term of deposed former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which runs through January.

State Assembly member Vince Fong — a McCarthy protege who also had the former speaker’s endorsement — defeated Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux in the 20th Congressional District in the state’s Central Valley farm belt.

The two Republicans will meet again in November in the race for a full two-year term representing the district, which includes parts of Bakersfield and Fresno.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California legislator backed by former President Donald Trump and a county sheriff promising to fight for tougher border security are matched in a special election Tuesday to decide who will complete the remainder of the term of deposed former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which runs through January.

State Assembly member Vince Fong and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, both Republicans, are vying for the vacant 20th Congressional District seat in the state’s Central Valley farm belt. The district, which cuts through parts of Bakersfield and Fresno, is the most strongly Republican House seat in heavily Democratic California.

Because of Trump’s involvement, the race will be watched as a possible proxy vote on the former president’s clout as he heads toward an all-but-certain matchup against President Joe Biden in November.

Trump endorsed Fong in February, calling him “a true Republican.” Boudreaux’s supporters include Richard Grenell, a former acting director of national intelligence in the Trump administration, and Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, Fong’s home turf.

Republicans occupy only 11 of the state’s 52 U.S. House seats. With the district once held by McCarthy remaining in GOP hands, it will give Republicans 12 seats in the state delegation and boost the party's fragile edge in Congress by a single vote.

There are 217 Republicans in the House, 213 Democrats and five vacancies, including McCarthy's former seat.

The special election only covers the time remaining in McCarthy’s term. Fong and Boudreaux will reprise their contest again in November for a full, two-year term in the district, though the winner of the special election will gain the advantage of incumbency.

A light turnout is expected. Mail-in voting for the special election began last month.

Some voters might be confused, since Fong and Boudreaux already have appeared on two House ballots this year — the March 5 statewide primary for the full House term, and the March 19 primary in the special election to fill out McCarthy's term.

The two conservative Republicans and Trump supporters occupy much of the same policy terrain. Boudreaux has been spotlighting his decades of law-and-order experience and is promising to harden the nation’s porous border. Fong also promises to “end the chaos” at the border with Mexico while prioritizing water and energy needs in the farm belt.

Fong, a onetime McCarthy aide who also has the former speaker's endorsement, entered the contest with advantages beyond endorsements from Trump and McCarthy.

Fong carried 42% of the vote in the March primary election, Boudreaux nearly 26%, with the remainder divided among other candidates. Fong hails from the most populous part of the district, Kern County, and he has outraised the sheriff by about 3-to-1 in campaign funds, according to federal records through the end of March.

McCarthy’s dramatic fall in the House — he is the only speaker in history to be voted out of the job — left behind a messy race to succeed him that exposed rivalries within his own party. He has worked behind the scenes to promote Fong's candidacy — a political action committee linked to McCarthy steered over $700,000 into the 20th District contest to boost Fong's campaign.

McCarthy resigned last year after being ousted in the House.

FILE - Bakersfield Assemblyman Vince Fong addresses supporters March 9, 2024, in Bakersfield, Calif. Fong and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, both Republicans, are vying for the vacant 20th Congressional District seat in the state's Central Valley farm belt. That's the seat formerly held by Kevin McCarthy. (John Donegan/The Bakersfield Californian via AP, File)

FILE - Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux speaks during a news conference in Visalia, Calif., Feb. 3, 2023. Boudreaux and State Assembly member Vince Fong, both Republicans, are vying for the vacant 20th Congressional District seat in the state's Central Valley farm belt. That's the seat formerly held by Kevin McCarthy. (Ron Holman/The Times-Delta via AP, File)