Borussia Dortmund dominated the first half, establishing themselves as the better side. Donyell Malen opened the scoring in the 30th minute, with Guinea international Serhou Guirassy providing the assist. Just four minutes later, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens extended Dortmund’s lead, giving them a 2-0 advantage going into halftime.
However, the second half belonged to Real Madrid, who mounted a stunning comeback, scoring five goals. The comeback began in the 60th minute when a cross from Kylian Mbappé was directed into the net by Antonio Rüdiger’s header. Two minutes later, Vinícius Júnior equalized, setting the stage for a remarkable turnaround.
In the 83rd minute, Lucas Vázquez put Real Madrid ahead, making it 3-2. The Brazilian Vinícius then stole the show, embarking on a brilliant solo run from deep inside his own half, beating multiple Dortmund defenders before calmly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Gregor Kobel to make it 4-2. He completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, sealing a remarkable 5-2 victory.
This marked only the second time in Champions League history that a team has overturned a 2-0 deficit to win 5-2, with the other instance being Liverpool’s victory over Real Madrid in the 2022/23 season. Furthermore, Real Madrid became the first team in UCL history to win by three goals after trailing by multiple goals at halftime.
After the match, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti praised his team’s second-half performance, stating: “Our rhythm and intensity were very high in the second half. The game changed when we scored the first goal. This second half could be key for our season.” He also lauded Vinícius Júnior, expressing confidence in his chances of winning the upcoming Ballon d’Or on 28 October 2024, saying: “I think Vinícius will win the Ballon d’Or, not just for tonight, but because he helped us win the Champions League last season. These goals are for the next Ballon d’Or.”
info@thesubstancenews.com
Leave a Reply