Real Madrid 3 – 2 Borussia Dortmund – Champions League Match Recap

Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in the Santiago Bernabéu. Here’s your quick recap from the final match of the Champions League group stage.

First Half

Real Madrid began the half with intensity and looked to impose themselves on the match. They came out of the gates with with all guns blazing, and pressed deep into Dortmund’s half.

It didn’t take long for the pressure to tell, with Madrid opening the scoring in the 8th minute. Ronaldo found space on the left before cutting inside and playing a beautiful pass to Isco. Isco played a cheeky turnaround backheel that looked more like an attempt at a first touch than a pass. Nevertheless, the ball found an open Borja Mayoral who slotted away past the keeper for Madrid’s first goal.

The second goal was close behind. Cristiano received a pass just on the edge of the box, turned, and fired a perfect finesse shot into the top right corner. This was a goal straight out of EA Sports FIFA. Ronaldo needed an inch perfect shot to get around the defenders who were pressuring him, and he delivered.

With that goal, Ronaldo also made a bit of history, becoming the first player to score a goal in every match of the Champions League group stage during a single season.

It looked like Madrid was getting ready to run away with it, but then the complacency set in, and Madrid’s intensity dropped off. Raphael Varane was forced off the pitch due to an injury concern, and was replaced by Marco Asensio. That meant Nacho began playing as a center-back, with Vazquez dropping back into the right-back position.

Pulisic began turning Ramos inside out, and creating some dangerous attacks that Aubameyang was too wasteful to put away. Eventually Dortmund’s dangerous attacking play payed off, as Aubameyang found the back of the net off a header in the 43rd minute. That was all the action left in the half, as Madrid took a 2-1 lead into the half.

Second Half

Things began disastrously in the second half, with Dortmund drawing level just four minutes into the start of the second period. It was Aubameyang again who was played through. It seemed as if the Madrid players thought Aubameyang was offside, because they allowed him tons of time and space in the box. Navas came out and did well to block the first shot, but couldn’t do anything as Aubameyang chipped it over and into the back of the net.

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Real Madrid then went into game-chasing mode, as they poured the pressure on for the rest of the second half. Dani Ceballos came on for Kovacic, and Llorente on for Isco, as Zidane used all three of his subs with twenty minutes left to play. Madrid looked intent on getting the victory at home, and went hunting for the go-ahead goal.

Ronaldo was probably unlucky to have been denied a penalty appeal late into the second half. He also then had a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside.

Finally, Madrid got the lead back after Burki slapped away a corner which was pounced on by Lucas Vazquez. Vazquez intelligently slotted the ball away into the back of the net and put Madrid in front once again. Madrid looked firmly in control of this match from this point on, despite the occasional moment of danger through Kagawa.

With that, Real Madrid got the victory against their German rivals. Madrid finish second in their group, which could pose a bit of danger for them moving forward in the draw. Let’s hope Ronaldo can build on the confidence he showed during much of this match and translate that into some extra goalscoring in the league.

Next: Ronaldo expected to receive his fifth Balon D'or

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