Real Madrid 3 – Borussia Dortmund 1: Quick take reaction
By Ben Sundock
Real Madrid got a huge win in the Signal Iduna Park over Borussia Dortmund 3-1 thanks to a brace from Cristiano Ronaldo and a goal and assist from Gareth Bale. Here is are the quick takeaways from the match.
It was a stressful affair, to say the least, Tuesday night in Germany. In the first half, Real Madrid weathered a storm from the deadly Dortmund attack in the first ten minutes as the home side pushed for an early goal.
Good defense from Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos helped Real Madrid settle into the match. After a goalline clearance from Ramos in the 15th minute, Los Blancos turned on counter-attack game and hit Dortmund with great passing and some great runs from several players.
Dani Carvajal, who played his first great match of the season tonight, had lots of space and time down the right wing and played a beautiful over the top ball to Gareth Bale who confidently volleyed the ball into the top corner past the keeper Burgi.
Bale had a great chance in the 11th minute just get blocked wide off a cross from Cristiano Ronaldo who was enjoying the luxury of space on the right wing along with Carvajal.
Bale was a pest all match, bursting forward and forcing a tough save from Burgi just five minutes after bagging the opening goal.
Real Madrid went through a bit of a stretch where they received three yellow cards over just 11 minutes with Bale, Dani Carvajal, and Luka Modric all seeing a warning from the head official.
And there is on defense saving the goal! No no Auba
— The Real Champs (@TheRealChampsFS) September 26, 2017
Dani Carvajal was probably the best player for Real Madrid in the first half, imposing his will on the Dortmund defense on one end, and making great stops on the defensive end as well. Thanks to a great stop on the goalline from Ramos and a shutdown play on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by Carvajal sent this match to the half at 1-0 to Madrid.
Out of the gate in the second half, the greatest, Cristiano Ronaldo, was out for blood as he hovered around the goal and made a great run towards the middle of the box where Gareth Bale laid a picture perfect cross right to CR7.
In his 400th career match with Real Madrid, the Portuguese beast wasn’t done there, as after Aubameyang redirected a cross in past Navas in the 54th minute to make it 2-1, Ronaldo slammed the door on any possibility of a comeback scoring a brace in the 79th minute.
That now gives the GOAT 411 goals in 400 matches with the Spanish giants. To go along with that incredible stat, CR7 has now scored 14 goals in his last 7 Champions League matches carrying over from a season ago.
He has started off this UCL campaign in style, scoring four goals in the first two matches, showing he is still the same savage he was last season.
Los Blancos could have made it 4-1 after the substitution of Marco Asensio for Isco who continued to push forward with speed.
With the win, Real Madrid now moves into a tie for first with Spurs with six points and a +5 goal differential. These two sides will face off in the Santiago Bernabéu October 17th to decide who takes the lead of the group.
Next: Marcos Llorente signs new contract with Real Madrid