Real Madrid secured their 15th European crown with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley. The match, which initially saw an unexpected delay due to a trio of pitch invaders, unfolded with Dortmund displaying early dominance.
The opening minutes were chaotic, with the game halted briefly as security dealt with the intruders. Once the match resumed, Dortmund quickly took control. Julian Brandt offered an early scare for Real Madrid, slicing a shot wide from inside the box just 15 minutes in. The absence of Aurelien Tchouameni was sorely felt by Madrid’s midfield, which struggled to hold its shape and left gaps for Dortmund to exploit.
Karim Adeyemi was a constant threat, breaking through Real Madrid’s offside trap and nearly scoring after rounding Thibaut Courtois, only to be thwarted by a crucial intervention from Dani Carvajal.
Niclas Fullkrug also posed problems, hitting the inside of the post in a near-offside position. Courtois had to be at his best, denying Adeyemi and later parrying a powerful long-range effort from Marcel Sabitzer.
Despite their dominance, Dortmund entered the halftime break without a goal, but with Real Madrid failing to register a shot on target – a rare occurrence in a Champions League final.
Dortmund registered 1.68 expected goals in the first half, compared to Real Madrid’s 0.09, highlighting the dominance by the German club.
Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid: A game of two halves
After the restart, Madrid began to find their footing. Toni Kroos’ well-struck free-kick forced a fine save from Gregor Kobel, and Carvajal’s header from a Kroos corner narrowly missed the target. Despite these efforts, Madrid struggled to sustain momentum, and Dortmund quickly regained the upper hand. Fullkrug’s powerful header on the 62nd minute again tested Courtois, who made a critical save.
The breakthrough came in the 74th minute. Carvajal, replicating his earlier run, connected perfectly with another Kroos delivery, directing the ball into the far corner to give Real Madrid the lead. The goal transformed the game, infusing Los Blancos with newfound confidence.
With Dortmund pressing for an equaliser, Real Madrid capitalised on the open spaces. Jude Bellingham and Nacho Fernandez came close to extending the lead before Vinicius Jr. pounced on a mistake by Ian Maatsen to seal the victory with a second goal.
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