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Borussia Dortmund got off to a good start in the final against Real Madrid. But Dortmund had no shot on goal – it came down to penalties in the second half.
Ecstatic: The players and coaches celebrate by lifting the trophy at Wembley
Real Madrid was once considered a serial offender in the Champions League. But that simply does not do the club justice. Instead, Real Madrid is a tyrant that rules the competition on its terms. At Wembley, he added his 15th Champions League title to his impressive collection – against a Borussia Dortmund side that was outstanding for just over an hour.
Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior scored after Dortmund had failed to take several chances. It was a typical Real Madrid game, one that had their own signature. In that respect, there was something routine about the victory: playing and carrying the trophy with you.
It was a completely different story for the opponents, whose fans dominated Wembley acoustically until the final whistle. The feeling must have been familiar to many standing on the bend at Wembley, as many were present when Borussia Dortmund lost the German-German final to Bayern Munich in 2013. In the VIP stands, then-Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp sang the national anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone”; he arrived from holiday in Spain after bidding farewell to Liverpool.
In the 74th minute, Carvajal scored with a header from a corner kick, 1-0.
Dortmund didn’t take advantage of their chances
Dortmund started fast. There was a necessary caution against such a strong team, but not too much respect. It was not a bad plan. Especially since Dortmund had three of the best chances in a short period of time, intercepting the opponent’s attack and then quickly scoring in front of the Spaniard’s goal.
The first goal was missed by Karim Adeyemi, who was too hesitant, then Niclas Füllkrug hit the post for questionable offside, before Adeyemi was again denied by Real goalkeeper Thibault Courtois. It was a near-perfect game for Dortmund. The only flaw of not scoring remained until halftime, and some had begun to realize what was coming: Real’s certainty that they could turn every game around, coupled with a dazzling level of play in almost every position, kept the team going despite the inferiority complex that appeared incredibly confident before the break.
Real Madrid’s first chance: Toni Kroos’s free-kick shortly after the break was blocked by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kerber. It might seem strange that the favourites rarely appear in front of an outsider’s goal. But it is a hallmark of Carlo Ancelotti’s side, whose ruthlessness has frustrated many hopeful rivals.
Real feeling, at the right moment
Knowing when to play: Real Madrid showed this instinct in this match, too. The team got stronger, had chances, and Greg Kerber was lucky at one point, almost careless as he ran down the line. Just a few minutes later, Kerber was unlucky after a corner: veteran Dani Carvajal headed home a powerful header. From then on, it was the champions’ game, and it was no surprise that Vinicius Junior did what Dortmund had failed to do before: take advantage of the chances presented to him.
Vinicius Junior celebrates his goal with Rodrygo Goes as the final score was 2-0.
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