Arjen
Robben's late goal dramatically ended FC Bayern München's UEFA
Champions League final misery after a thrilling all-German contest
against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.
Bayern
started with four players – Robben, captain Philipp Lahm, Bastian
Schweinsteiger and Thomas Müller – who had endured the final defeats of
2010 and 2012, but it took a player in his first season in Munich, Mario
Mandžukić,
to supply the 60th-minute breakthrough after both sides had
missed a series of chances. İlkay Gündoğan's penalty swiftly levelled
matters – the first goal Bayern had conceded in the competition in 432
minutes – yet it was Bayern who looked more likely to snatch a late
winner. So it proved in the 89th minute as Robben wriggled through to
take the trophy to Munich for the fifth time.
Bayern's starting
lineup featured seven of the team who had begun last year's final defeat
by Chelsea FC but, amid a rousing atmosphere, it was Dortmund's final
novices who settled quicker. Manuel Neuer was the first goalkeeper
called into action, tipping over a curling Robert Lewandowski shot from
25 metres, then reacting smartly to keep out Jakub Błaszczykowski's low
first-time effort after the Dortmund midfielder had met a Marco Reus
cross at the near post.
Reus himself was next to test the Bayern
No1, who was equal to both that and a curling Sven Bender attempt, but
then, almost without warning, Bayern came close to snatching the lead.
Mandžukić rose above Bender to connect with Franck Ribéry's perfect
left-wing centre and Roman Weidenfeller tipped the header over. From the
corner there was another Bayern opening, Javi Martínez nodding onto the
roof of the net.
The game had started at breakneck speed and
there was no let-up as play swung from end to end in the blink of an
eye, with opportunities coming thick and fast. Around the half-hour both
sides had a one-on-one, yet neither could capitalise as the two keepers
expertly narrowed the angle; first Weidenfeller advanced to repel
Robben, before Lewandowski was again thwarted by Neuer's legs. With
half-time fast approaching, the ball fell between Mats Hummels and
Robben and broke kindly for the Bayern man; again Weidenfeller was well
positioned to make the save at close range, albeit with his face.
The
half-time interval did not serve to break the rhythm of the match,
which picked up in exactly the same breathless manner following the
resumption. Chances proved rarer, however – until Bayern struck on the
hour. Robben and Ribéry were the architects, swapping passes down the
left and the Dutchman's low cross presented Mandžukić with a tap-in.
For
a moment Dortmund were rocking, yet they regrouped and were level
within eight minutes. Dante felled Reus in the area; Gündoğan held his
nerve to send Neuer the wrong way from the spot. Dortmund poured
forward, and so nearly paid the price on the counterattack as Müller
rounded Weidenfeller and slid the ball across goal; with Robben racing
in to apply the decisive touch, Neven Subotić dived in to clear off the
line. Mandžukić then shot into the side netting after Müller sprang the
Dortmund offside trap once more, and Weidenfeller kept out a
Schweinsteiger effort.
Bayern would not be denied, however. Ribéry
controlled a high ball into the box and flicked it into Robben's path;
the No10 evaded two defenders and pushed a shot past Weidenfeller.
Bayern's fans had unfurled a banner pre-match bearing the legend 'Und
heute ist weider ein guter tag' (And yet again it's a good day) – and
finally, for their favourites, it was.
