Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund: A Night of History, Heynckes & Robben Making Wembley His Home
By Ben Carter
Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund is part of 90min's 20 Greatest Matches of the Decade series. Follow the rest of the series over the course of the next few weeks.
It was a game which saw England's capital turn into the colours turn into Germany's national flag. On one side, the red of Bayern Munich. The other, Borussia Dortmund's infamous black and yellow.
But there was much more on offer than just an all-German clash in London.
Jupp Heynckes vs. Jürgen Klopp
The Rekordmeister vs. the Bundesliga's bridesmaid.
Borussia Dortmund might have lifted the league title a year earlier, but Klopp's side came into the game as severe underdogs. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, were looking to become the first-ever German club to win the treble after their success in the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal.
Before a ball was even kicked at Wembley, Mario Götze was at the centre of attention.
It was announced some time earlier in the season that he'd be moving to Bayern Munich in the summer, but Götze picked up a hamstring injury in Borussia Dortmund's semi-final win over Real Madrid and further complications saw his dream of playing in a Champions League final dashed.
Jakub Blaszczykowski was drafted back into the starting lineup to fill Dortmund's Götze-shaped hole, and that decision paid dividends in the opening 15 minutes as the Poland international formed a free-flowing midfield alongside Marco Reus and Kevin Großkreutz.
Manuel Neuer wasn't forced into too much action aside from a hopeful long-range effort from Robert Lewandowski, but Klopp's underdogs were making a statement that they wouldn't roll over for Bayern Munich - like they had twice in four games against Heynckes' side during that season.
Blaszczykowski, Reus and midfielder Sven Bender also stung the palms on Neuer as the half went on, but the Germany international refused to be beaten in between the sticks for Bayern Munich.
It was becoming a frustrating evening for the Rekordmeister, something which became apparent when Franck Ribéry lashed out at Lewandowski, but things started to turn when Mario Mandžukić and Javi Martínez peppered Dortmund's goal with towering headers.
There was still enough time for Arjen Robben and Lewandowski to have shots saved before the break - the former was even denied by Roman Weidenfeller's face - but the 2013 Champions League final, at 45 minutes old, was still goalless.
Bayern Munich were in the ascendancy before half-time, and the game followed that same script after the break.
When Ribéry and Robben combined down the left flank just before the hour mark, Bayern's flying Dutchman was able to dribble past Weidenfeller and pull the ball back for Mandžukić, who had a near open goal from just three yards out.
Marcel Schmelzer did his best to block the shot on the line, but Dortmund's left-back was helpless as Mandžukić deftly prodded the ball into the back of the net to open the scoring the Champions League final.
The deadlock was broken and Bayern Munich had the upper hand, but less than 10 minutes later, Borussia Dortmund were handed a way back into the match.
Reus raced onto a looping pass from Großkreutz and found himself inside the penalty area, moving the ball past an onrushing Dante before the Brazilian centre-back raised his foot, with his studs showing, and caught Dortmund's talisman in his stomach.
Time seems to freeze as fans and players alike wait for the referee to point to the spot but Nicola Rizzoli eventually raises his hand. Penalty to Borussia Dortmund.
It was the 10th time in 2012/13 that the Black and Yellows had been given a spot-kick.
Blaszczykowski had taken four and scored three. Lewandowski also missed one of his three penalties, while Mats Hummels missed his only one against Ajax - Götze had a 100% record that season, but was missing for the final.
İlkay Gündoğan had experience with spot-kicks at youth level with his former side VfL Bochum, but he'd never taken one in senior football. Even so, he stepped up in front of the Borussia Dortmund fans, on the biggest stage in world football, and sent Neuer the wrong way from 12 yards.
It was game on at Wembley. But no sooner as Borussia Dortmund were back, Klopp's side almost threw away their foothold in the match.
Thomas Müller found himself staring at an open goal from an acute angle, with Robben in acres of space on the other side of the penalty area. But Bayern Munich's Raumdeuter was indecisive, seeing his cross-cum-shot cleared off the line by Neven Subotić.
Some fans thought Borussia Dortmund had grabbed an incredible winner when a 35-yard shot flew over Neuer's head and into the back of the net moments later, but referee Rizzoli had already blown his whistle for a clear handball.
Chances continued to come for both sides but neither could find that elusive winner, with David Alaba and Bastian Schweinsteiger seeing efforts parried away by Weidenfeller.
But with 90 seconds left of normal time, Jérôme Boateng sent a hopeful long pass into the path of Ribéry, who whilst holding off pressure from Łukasz Piszczek on the edge of the penalty area was able to bring the ball under control.
The Frenchman flicked the ball behind him, somehow telepathically knowing that Robben had made a darting run from deep to meet the loose pass, weaving his way in between Borussia Dortmund's defenders to be presented with a one on one with Weidenfeller.
Robben was in touching distance with Borussia Dortmund's goalkeeper when he finally took a shot, so a trademark left-footed shot to Weidenfeller's right side would have been all but impossible to produce.
Instead, the Dutch forward almost ran beyond the ball, using the inside of his boot to roll the ball past Weidenfeller where, just like with Dortmund's penalty shout earlier, time stood still as everyone watched the ball trickle towards the goal.
There was just enough pace on the shot to guarantee no one could get back to clear the ball in time, but it was tame enough for Borussia Dortmund players to fall to their knees before the ball had even crossed the line, knowing their Champions League dream was over.
It took one full second for the ball to eventually cross the line. But it felt like a lifetime for both sets of fans.
One second where the hopes and dreams for Bayern Munich to win the Champions League, making amends for their defeat in the final a year earlier, went from fantasy to reality.
The crowning jewel in a perfect, treble-winning season for Jupp Heynckes.
The ultimate winning goal.
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