Champions League: Borussia Dortmund Reach Final Despite Defeat To Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund reached their second ever Champions League final, despite losing to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Tuesday evening.
The Spanish behemoths scored two late goals to set up a pulsating finale in Madrid, but ultimately their performance in Germany scuppered their ambitions.
Dortmund convincingly dispatched Madrid at home last week, winning by four goals to one after a superlative performance by their Polish striker Robert Lewandowski.
His four goals looked to have give Dortmund an insurmountable lead, so much so that the Italian striker Mario Balotelli even declared that the entire Real Madrid team could sleep with his girlfriend if they turned over the deficit.
Madrid started brightly in tonight’s encounter, creating three of four clear cut opportunities in the opening ten minutes.
Gonzalo Higuain should have finished after only four minutes, but despite being through one on one with the German goalkeeper, Weidenfeller, he could only smash his shot into his legs.
This was then followed by a woeful finish by Mesut Ozil who dragged his shot well wide of goal despite having Cristiano Ronaldo free to his left.
After this great opening though, the Germans then began to take control, seeing out the remaining minutes of the first half with ease.
In the second half they then created several chances to wrap up the game, but Lewandowski and Ilkay Gundogan each missed when well placed.
The game looked to be over but a goal from Karim Benzema for Madrid with only eight minutes left gave the Spaniards the lifeline they desired.
The Bernabeu rose to its feet and with only two minutes to go Sergio Ramos added a second, meaning that if Madrid got a third goal they would be through to their first Champions League final in over a decade.
Alas, they were unable to get it, and the German side were able to hold on and progress to the final at Wembley in May.
