Borussia Dortmund's players celebrate at the end of the UEFA Champions League semi-final
MADRID: Borussia Dortmund qualified for only their second ever Champions League final as despite losing 2-0 to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu they prevailed 4-3 on aggregate yesterday.
Needing a huge turnaround from the first-leg last week Real seemed to have run out of steam after Gonzalo Higuain, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil had passed up early opportunities
However, after Robert Lewandowski had smashed the underside of the bar and Diego Lopez prevented Ilkay Gundogan with an incredible save from close range, Madrid were given a lifeline in the 83rd minute when substitute Karim Benzema swept home Ozil’s low cross.
And six minutes later they had real hope of an incredible comeback as captain Sergio Ramos rifled a shot into the roof of the net.
Dortmund though withstood the Madrid onslaught in an agonising five minutes of stoppage time to seal their place at the final in Wembley next month.
For Real and coach Jose Mourinho it meant going out at the same stage for the third successive year.
The intense atmosphere created by the home fans before kick-off was matched by their team’s energetic start.
Angel Di Maria and Ronaldo then saw efforts fly over and Dortmund suffered a big blow on 12 minutes when Mario Gotze pulled up with an injury after hitting a routine ball forward.
However, whilst still playing with 10 men they had their best chance of the opening period as Lewandowski controlled a long free-kick from Gundogan but placed his shot too close to Lopez who made a comfortable save.
Seconds later Ronaldo had an even better chance as he too chested down a long ball before volleying straight into Weidenfeller’s body before Kevin Grosskreutz could even come on to take Dortmund back up to their full compliment.
Ozil then had the best opportunity of the first-half as a lovely reverse ball from Di Maria put him clean through on goal but he pulled his shot wide of the near post. After a chastening first 15 minutes though Dortmund settled admirably as their patience in possession made an increasingly desperate Madrid chase shadows for periods of time.
The Germans could even have gone into half-time ahead on the night when Jakub Blaszczykowski fluffed his attempt from Lukasz Piszczek’s intelligent cutback.
The hosts were then given a glimmer of hope eight minutes from time when Kaka released Ozil and his cross was turned home by Benzema. And they were soon rampant when Benzema set-up Ramos to crash home a second six minutes later. However, a Ramos header that sailed wide in stoppage time was the closest they came to sealing a remarkable comeback.AFP
