Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund, 2-1, at Wembley on Saturday to win the Champions League title, ending three years of bitter disappointments in the first all-German final in the tournament’s history. The title game was a thrilling affair, even if the winning goal wasn’t much to look at.
Arjen Robben’s scored the winner in the 89th minute, darting through the Dortmund defense to snatch a free ball before clumsily redirecting a dribbling shot under goalie Roman Weidenfeller and across the line.
Robben also set up Bayern’s first goal, in the 60th minute, by dribbling to the end line — seemingly one touch too far — before crossing to the Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic. Ilkay Gundogan tied the score from the penalty spot eight minutes later after Bayern defender Dante fouled Marco Reus in the penalty area.
In many games the teams would have gone conservative at that point, but Saturday was different. The German rivals played a breathless final 20 minutes, with chance after chance at either end denied by Weidenfeller and his Bayern counterpart, Manuel Neuer. At one point, Dortmund defender Neven Subotic swept a sure goal for Thomas Muller off his goal line with a last-ditch dive.
The title was Bayern’s fifth in the tournament over all, and it helped atone for bitter losses in the final in 2010 (to Inter Milan) and 2012 (to Chelsea).
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