Late Robben goal wins Champions League for Bayern
Bayern Munich overcame the heartbreak of losing two finals in three seasons by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in a memorable all-German Champions League final on Saturday to become European champions for the fifth time.
After a goalless first half, Mario Mandzukic put Bayern ahead only for Dante to bundle over Marco Reus in the box and allow Ilkay Gundogan to equalise from the penalty spot.
Robben won the match late on to give Bayern their first Champions League win since 2001 and made up for their 2010 defeat to Inter Milan and last year's penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Chelsea.
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Dortmund were the better team in the opening stages of the game, but other than Manuel Neuer taking a high corner confidently in his penalty area, there was little work for either goalkeeper. Quick distribution from the Bayern goalkeeper looked to give them a threat on the break, but Robben and Franck Ribery couldn't make the most of the one-on-one chances they had with the Dortmund defence.
Bayern took the lead on 60 minutes when Ribery played in Robben down the left side of the area and he teed up Mandzukic for a simple tap-in. The lead only lasted eight minutes as Dante's clumsy tackle on Reus in the area saw Dortmund handed a penalty which Gundogan converted as he sent Neuer the wrong way.
The drama was almost unremitting from that point onwards, not least that moment when Subotic flung himself full length to hook Thomas Müller's effort off the line, right beside the post as Robben came in from the other side. That moment alone epitomised Dortmund's efforts.
As well as thwarting Robben, Weidenfeller had tipped a Mandzukic shot on to the crossbar in the first half. Now he had to keep out left-foot efforts from David Alaba and Bastian Schweinsteiger. The momentum had been turning against Klopp's men and it culminated in that final surge from Robben, a prod of the ball that took it over the line almost in slow motion, and Bayern had been reunited with the trophy they cherish above all.
And you could see in the end what it meant to Robben. He danced up the steps to collect the trophy, mobbed by fans for once who were not calling for his head. He raised it high into the air as they chanted his name.
"This means a lot. I still have not grasped it," Robben said. "There are so many emotions. It was very even. They had chances. We had chances. Then the last minute, I was quicker to the ball. I missed two chances before that, but I stayed calm."
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After a goalless first half, Mario Mandzukic put Bayern ahead only for Dante to bundle over Marco Reus in the box and allow Ilkay Gundogan to equalise from the penalty spot.
Robben won the match late on to give Bayern their first Champions League win since 2001 and made up for their 2010 defeat to Inter Milan and last year's penalty shoot-out heartbreak against Chelsea.
Buy Dortmund tickets and Bayern Munich tickets securely on 1st4 Football Tickets .com
Dortmund were the better team in the opening stages of the game, but other than Manuel Neuer taking a high corner confidently in his penalty area, there was little work for either goalkeeper. Quick distribution from the Bayern goalkeeper looked to give them a threat on the break, but Robben and Franck Ribery couldn't make the most of the one-on-one chances they had with the Dortmund defence.
Bayern took the lead on 60 minutes when Ribery played in Robben down the left side of the area and he teed up Mandzukic for a simple tap-in. The lead only lasted eight minutes as Dante's clumsy tackle on Reus in the area saw Dortmund handed a penalty which Gundogan converted as he sent Neuer the wrong way.
The drama was almost unremitting from that point onwards, not least that moment when Subotic flung himself full length to hook Thomas Müller's effort off the line, right beside the post as Robben came in from the other side. That moment alone epitomised Dortmund's efforts.
As well as thwarting Robben, Weidenfeller had tipped a Mandzukic shot on to the crossbar in the first half. Now he had to keep out left-foot efforts from David Alaba and Bastian Schweinsteiger. The momentum had been turning against Klopp's men and it culminated in that final surge from Robben, a prod of the ball that took it over the line almost in slow motion, and Bayern had been reunited with the trophy they cherish above all.
And you could see in the end what it meant to Robben. He danced up the steps to collect the trophy, mobbed by fans for once who were not calling for his head. He raised it high into the air as they chanted his name.
"This means a lot. I still have not grasped it," Robben said. "There are so many emotions. It was very even. They had chances. We had chances. Then the last minute, I was quicker to the ball. I missed two chances before that, but I stayed calm."
About 1st4FootballTickets.com: Thousands of football tickets are on sale on Europe's biggest football ticketing website: We have England football tickets such as England vs Ireland tickets, England vs Scotland tickets and tickets for England vs Moldova. But also football cup tickets such as FIFA Confederations Cup 2013 Tickets and tickets for the Championship Play Off Final.
