UEFA Champions League
Result: Real Madrid 3-2 Borussia Dortmund
Date: 06 December 2017
Venue: Santiago Bernabéu
Real Madrid ended their Champions League Group H journey on a high note with a 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday — with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring for Zinedine Zidane's side.
It didn't take long for the hosts to strike. Borja Mayoral finished off a fantastic team move — which included lovely passes in the build-up from Ronaldo and Isco — in the eighth minute.
Four minutes later, Ronaldo grabbed a goal of his own as his shot from just outside the box beat Roman Bürki and flew into the net.
Dortmund began to find their rhythm as the half progressed, but failed to capitalise in front of goal.
In the 35th minute, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was set up by a lovely pass from Marc Bartra, but his shot went across the face of Keylor Navas' net and wide of the target.
With three minutes plus stoppage time left of the first half, Mayoral fired just wide of the target as he looked for his second goal.
Straight afterwards, Dortmund hit Real Madrid at the other end as Marcel Schmelzer's inch-perfect cross from the left side picked out Aubameyang, who finished with a diving header.
Within three minutes after the start of the second half, Dortmund carved Real open again. Aubameyang drew a good save from Navas before lobbing over him and into the net on the follow-up, 2-2.
Real pushed to go back in front, with Ronaldo uncharacteristically missing the target in the 52nd minute after Isco capitalised on a lapse in concentration from Mahmoud Dahoud to win the ball.
Los Blancos persisted in their efforts and went inches away from scoring in the 78th minute, when Neven Subotić diverted a cross just wide of his own net.
Straight afterwards, Ronaldo had a goal disallowed for offside despite Real's insistence that the ball had come off a Dortmund player before falling to him.
At last, the pressure payed off in the 81st minute. Lucas Vázquez beat Bürki with a low shot after Theo Hernández headed the ball to him.
Dortmund were unable to find their way back into the game, but nevertheless claimed third place in the group ahead of APOEL Nicosia, and with it, a Europa League spot. Los Blancos qualified for the last 16 in second place behind Tottenham Hotspur.
