The referee blows his final whistle, Real Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund (3-4 on aggregate)
90+4 One chance remaining for Real Madrid.
90+3 Sergio Ramos heads a corner just wide.
90+2 We are witnessing some frantic moments now. Real are throwing everything forward to score a decisive winner.
90 Dortmund make their final substitution. Felipe Santana replaces the injured Sven Bender.
90 The passionate Real Madrid fans are cheering on their team in decisive moments.
88 Benzema pulls the ball back to Ramos from the byline and the central defender lashes it into the roof of the net. Real just need one more goal to cause a huge upset.
88 GOAAAAAAAAAAL FOR REAL MADRID
88 A deflected shot by Benzema is superbly tipped over Weidenfeller.
87 Dortmund make their second substitution. Lewandowski is replaced with Sebastian Kehl.
85 A Sergio Ramos header is handled by Weidenfeller as Real lay siege to Dortmund's area.
84 Real Madrid are roared on by a passionate crowd.
83 Kaka feeds Ozil on the right and the German midfielder sends a low cross for the onrushing Benzema to fire home from close range. Can Real score two more goals in the remaining seven minutes?
83 GOOAAAAAAAAAAL FOR REAL MADRID!!
81 Real midfielder Sami Khedira also receives a yellow card for a challenge on Jakub Blaszczykowski.
79 Sergio Ramos is handed a yellow card.
78 Real players protest against a Howard Webb decision not to award them a handball on the edge of the area after the ball strikes Hummels' arm.
76 Lewandowski wastes his third chance to score for Dortmund! His shot from inside the area is blocked by Essien.
75 With 15 minutes remaining, Dortmund have all but advanced to the final.
73 A poor long-range shot from substitute Sami Khedira goes high over.
72 Kaka side-foots a cross after cutting ahead of his marker but it narrowly misses the target.
71 Di Maria just fails to get on the end of a cross at the far post. Real relatively improve.
70 Ronaldo wastes a chance for Real! His right-foot shot from inside the area goes high over. Too many inaccurate shots tonight.
69 The introduction of Kaka and Benzema has so far failed to bear fruit.
67 A cross-cum-shot from Di Maria goes narrowly wide. A rare half-chance for Real in the second half.
65 A timely Ramos interception prevents Dortmund from creating another goal-scoring opportunity. The visitors are very dangerous on the counter.
62 Dortmund waste their third second-half chance to end the game as a contest!! Midfielder Ilkay Guendogan is found by a pull-back from Reus but his shot from four yards out is blocked by Real keeper Diego Lopez. We can expect a Dortmund goal on the break soon.
60 Dortmund's Lewandowski, the first-leg hero, spurned the chance to kill off Real's hopes early in the second half. Real have the better possession now but they hardly trouble the visitors.
57 Real coach Jose Mourinho makes a double substitution. Karim Benzema replaces Gonzalo Higuian and Brazilian playmaker Kaka comes on instead of left-back Fabio Coentrao.
56 An Essien cross picks out Ronaldo but, under pressure from the defence, he fails to head goalwards.
54 Higuain fails to control a deft pass from Ronaldo, drawing jeers from the home crowd.
52 Real Madrid's desperate crosses are repeatedly cleared by the tight Dortmund defence.
50 It's Lewandowski again! He breaks clear following a neat pass from Reus but his angled shot rattles the bar. Dortmund's fast-paced counter attacks expose the gaps in Real's advanced backline.
49 Dortmund striker Lewandowski wastes the chance to effectively end the tie as a contest!! He is picked out unmarked inside the area but his mis-hit shot goes high over with the goal at his mercy.
47 Real Madrid are left with an uphill climb. They need to score three goals to cause an upset and reach the final.
46 Hummels heads away a Real Madrid cross and denies an effort from Varane in the ensuing corner kick.
The second half is underway
The referee blows his half-time whistle, Real Madrid 0-0 Borussia Dortmund
45+1 Ronaldo shoots a long-range free kick high over.
45 A flurry of yellow cards! Sven Bender is booked for a challenge on the darting Ronaldo.
44 Higuain also receives a yellow card for protesting Howard Webb's decisions.
43 Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Guendogan receives a yellow card for a challenge on Ozil.
42 The offside flag once again denies Higuain.
40 Real are now finding it difficult to create chances through crosses, given the aerial prowess of Dortmund's steadfast defenders.
39 Another Ronaldo cross goes begging.
37 Dortmund's full-backs, Lukasz Piszczek and Marcel Schmelzer are putting in an impressive display, repeatedly thwarting Real's attempts to penetrate down the flanks.
34 Ronaldo loses possession in midfield after mis-controlling a tame pass.
32 Dortmund are determined not to concede any goal in the first half to make matters difficult for the hosts in the second period.
30 Real Madrid still maintained the upper hand in terms of possession in the second quarter of an hour, but Dortmund's defence kept them at bay.
28 Real fans jeer Webb for declining to book Sven Bender, who made a reckless tackle on Xabi Alonso.
27 Higuain fails to get on the end of a through pass as Weidenfeller rushes out to collect the ball.
26 Real full-back Fabio Coentrao is booked for a challenge on Lewandowski.
25 A Di Maria shot on the edge of the area is blocked by the defence after some good work from Ozil on the left flank.
24 At the other end, Sergio Ramos superbly clears a cross from Dortmund.
23 A cross by Real full-back Fabio Coentrao is headed away by defender Mats Hummels.
21 Real are repeatedly trying to expose any gaps on Dortmund's left side.
20 Ronaldo cuts inside his marker on the left and sends a low shot that goes wide from the edge of the area.
18 Unlike the first leg, Real Madrid carve out openings but they still lack the cutting edge.
15 In the exciting first quarter of an hour, Real Madrid waste three clear-cut chances while Dortmund spurn one genuine chance.
15 Real squander the third goal-scoring chance!! Ozil latches onto a superb pass from Higuain to go one-on-one with Weidenfeller but his low shot hits the side netting.
14 Cristiano Ronaldo wastes Real's second goal-scoring opportunity! He fails to beat Weidenfeller from close range in some breathtaking moments.
13 Lewandowski almost puts Dortmund ahead! His close-range half-volley is saved by the keeper.
13 Dortmund's star Mario Goetze sustains an injury.
10 Real's Argentinean striker Higuian repeatdly moves to the right flank, to allow more space for Ronaldo to go to the heart of Dortmund's defence.
8 Ronaldo's right-foot shot from inside the area goes over the crossbar after a neat move involving Ozil and Di Maria. Real look lively in the early stages.
7 A Higuain cross from the right is blocked by Dortmunds' full-back Marcel Schmelzer. The defence clears the ensuing cross.
6 At the other end, Real's Raphael Varane clears a cross from Dortmund, who look dangerous every time they pour forward.
4 Real waste their first goal-scoring opportunity!! Gonzalo Higuain receives a pass from Mesut Ozil to break clear but his angled shot is blocked by Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller.
3 Ronaldo, back from injury, is will shoulder Real's attacking responsibilities tonight. It remains to be seen whether Dortmund's defence will replicate their first-leg heroics.
2 Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria lets fly from distance but his shot goes high over.
1 Marco Reus is denied by the offside flag and Coentrao's cross is blocked by Dortmund's defence at the other end in the first minute.
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| Real Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund April 30, 2013 |
The more and more I think about this, the more and more intriguing it becomes: Is three goals too much for Real Madrid to come back from against Dortmund?
Most first inclinations say yes, but the reality is that defending a big lead heading into the second leg is not an easy thing to do. AC Milan showed it against Barcelona, Bayern Munich showed it against Arsenal, Real Madrid showed it against Galatasaray—it's hard to play two or three goals in front.
Thus, if Madrid net the opening goal, this one is definitely back on.
Los Blancos are a brilliant attacking side and possess more than enough firepower to net three goals here. Yes, Dortmund are a technically sound defensive side and have shown to have Madrid's measure this year, but this is a situation they're not used to—and they're also under a lot of pressure.
An early goal, or maybe two goals up at half-time, and this one will definitely get interesting. Three goals is a lot for Madrid, but they have shown they can score goals when needed, and they aren't completely out this semifinal just yet.
