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Real Madrid delivered a dramatic turn-around at the Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday night, as they fought back to crush Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in their match in the Champions League group stage. Vinicius Jr, Reims' nemesis, was the man who upstaged everyone with a hat-trick, as the champions won the game after going down 2-0 in the first half.
Dortmund Stuns Real Madrid Early
The match started in shock for the home side as Borussia Dortmund raced into a 2-0 lead. Donyell Malen scored within minutes of Jamie Bynoe-Gittens as they each scored around the half-hour mark, which would give Dortmund good foundations, making the usually lively Bernabéu quiet. It was a repeat of last season's final, and the German side looked to be in charge.
Real Madrid's Second-Half Comeback
Real Madrid came out the at halftime refreshed and rejuvenated in the second half. It took an hour, but it was equalizer time courtesy of an Antonio Rüdiger powerful header as the German saw the whole game go ahead to 2-1. Just minutes after this, Vinicius Jr capitalized on loose ball inside the box, leveling the score with a poacher's goal.
With the momentum on their side, Real Madrid continued to pressure and, in the 83rd minute, Lucas Vázquez delivered a thundering shot from a counter-attack to make it 3-2 in favor of his team.
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Vinicius Jr. Ends the Match with a Hat-Trick
Vinicius wasn't done for the night. In the final minutes, the Brazilian forward showed his class, scoring twice more in the 86th and 93rd minute to complete his first Champions League hat-trick. Brilliant play sealed Real Madrid's win, and his virtuosity was applauded far and wide.
We believed in ourselves, and that was the key," Vinicius said in Movistar Plus post-match interview. Once we scored the first goal, we knew we could change things around.
Tactical Changes and Defensive Fears of Ancelotti
While Real Madrid's second-half comeback was one for the scrapbooks, it has, clearly, also laid bare a few weaknesses. Carlo Ancelotti will still be getting to terms with playing without Toni Kroos in midfield, even though he reverted back to a 4-3-3 here after trying a three-man defense in their previous win here in LaLiga, but early errors defensively led to Dortmund dominating the opening half.
Thibaut Courtois was impressive and crucial in keeping Madrid within reach before halftime as he thwarted Dortmund's Julian Brandt and Gittens with serious saves.
Dortmund's Missed Opportunity
Borussia Dortmund manager Nuri Sahin made two costly decisions after the first 60 minutes of play by taking out both of his goal scorers. The substitution ultimately exposed Dortmund to quite a lot of pressure in the real game, failing to withstand the rising pressure by Madrid.
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Real Madrid and Dortmund Tie on Group Standing
This victory brings Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund level on six points in their group after three games, but the bottom line here is that the Madrid fans will take something from this game - the resilience of their team. We have to start games stronger and avoid making things difficult for ourselves,
said Vinicius.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, will next be hoping for such dramas and seeking more consistent performances in the Champions League.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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