Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich: Score, Grades and Post-Match Reaction

After a heartbreaking loss to Chelsea in last year's UEFA Champions League Final, Bayern Munich was determined to earn redemption. That is precisely what it did, as the Bavarians captured their first Champions League title since 2001 by beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1.

In what was the first all-German final in Champions League history, the rival teams were evenly matched throughout, exhibiting world class skill and putting on a fantastic show for the fans.

The decisive goal game in the 89th minute of play when Bayern attacking midfielder Arjen Robben broke through the Dortmund defense and slipped the ball past helpless Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller:

It was a fitting ending, as Robben has experienced a great deal of heartbreak in recent years. He's been the goat many times both in domestic and international play, but he ended up being the hero for Bayern and will live in FCB history forever.

Although the first half came to an end with no score, Dortmund and Bayern engaged in one of the most entertaining halves of scoreless soccer that you will ever see. There were chances galore on both sides, but goalkeepers Roman Weidenfeller and Manuel Neuer were up to the task, which even impressed Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Tyler Deric:

"

Think of the chances Robben has had (and missed) over the years. 2010 WC final. 2012 CL final. Now this

— James Horncastle (@JamesHorncastle) May 25, 2013"

Dortmund carried the play for the first 15 minutes or so, as Bayern scrambled to gain possession. While the Borussians were able to put five shots on net during the half, Neuer could not be beaten, coming up with a number of impressive saves.

Bayern midfielder Franck Ribery became frustrated with Dortmund's physical play at one point, as he elbowed Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski in the face. Ribery was called for a foul, but he wasn't carded, despite the viciousness of his actions:

*GIF courtesy of 101 Great Goals

The Bavarians picked up their play in the latter stages of the half and had some dangerous opportunities as well. Robben was unquestionably Bayern's most dangerous player, as he failed to convert on two point-blank chances.

He had a ton of space in the Dortmund box and attempted to beat a challenging Weidenfeller, but the Borussia goalkeeper took one for the team, making the save with his face:

*GIF courtesy of IndexFootball.com

Robben has struggled on the big stage in recent years, as pointed out by BBC Sport's James Horncastle:

Despite the lack of offensive fireworks from a goal-scoring perspective, Miguel Delaney of ESPN considered it the most evenly matched Champions League final in five years:

Bayern carried over its strong play from late in the first half to early in the second, putting some pressure on Dortmund. After a 60-minute stalemate, Bayern forward Mario Mandzukic broke through with the first tally of the match:

Ribery found Robben in the box, and the Dutch midfielder managed to clear it across the goal mouth, off a defender and right to a wide-open Mandzukic, who deposited it in the back of the vacant Dortmund net:

FCB's lead was short-lived, however, as Dortmund cashed in on a golden opportunity just seven minutes later. Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus found his way into a dangerous position in the Bayern box, which prompted defender Dante to over-commit and kick Reus in the midsection as he attempted to clear the ball:

A penalty was called and taken by Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who had been wizard-like in his passing up to that point. Gundogan showed that his scoring touch was just as precise on the kick, as Neuer dove to his right and Gundogan buried it to his left for his first career Champions League goal, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Bayern nearly took back the lead just minutes later when attacking midfielder Thomas Muller got around Weidenfeller. Muller had an open net from a wide angle and sent the ball in that direction. Robben was just about to tap it in to make the score 2-1, but Dortmund center-back Neven Subotic slid in and cleared it off the goal line to preserve the tie:

The action was tense, and it looked like the match was destined for extra time before Robben's game-winning tally in the 89th minute.

Grades

Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich): A

Neuer was the hottest goalkeeper in the world entering the match. That was quite apparent throughout, as he was nearly unbeatable. He faced seven shots and turned them all away, with the exception of the Gundogan penalty. Bayern likely wouldn't have gotten this far without Neuer, so it's only fitting that he was integral to their victory.

Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund): A-

While Neuer was ultimately the better goalkeeper in this match, Weidenfeller wasn't far behind. He had to make some incredibly difficult stops in his own right, and he kept Dortmund in the match until the 89th minute. There was nothing Weidenfeller could do on Robben's game-winning goal, but he did over-commit at times and put his defenders in tough situations, so he falls just short of an "A."

Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich): A

After the first half, it wouldn't have been a stretch to give Robben a failing grade, as he was unable to cash in on a pair of golden opportunities. But the second half was a completely different story for the much-maligned midfielder. Robben's first big play came when he set up Mandzukic's goal, and he put a bow on it with a goal of his own, putting forth an unbelievable individual effort.

Ilkay Gundogan (Borussia Dortmund): A-

Gundogan was easily Dortmund's best player aside from Weidenfeller. He was all over the place, and he set his teammates up in some dangerous scoring areas. He also showed that he possesses the clutch gene, scoring with a confident strike on a penalty kick to tie the match. He likely would have been considered the man of the match had Dortmund won, but Robben ended up stealing his thunder ultimately.

Borussia Dortmund

Player	Position	Grade
Roman Weidenfeller	GK	A-
Marcel Schmelzer	LB	C+
Mats Hummels	CB	C
Neven Subotic	CB	B
Lukasz Piszczek	RB	B
Ilkay Gundogan	DM	A-
Sven Bender	DM	B
Kevin Grosskreutz	AM	C+
Marco Reus	AM	A-
Jakub Blaszczykowski	AM	C+
Robert Lewandowski	ST	B-

Bayern Munich

Player	Position	Grade
Manuel Neuer	GK	A
David Alaba	LB	C+
Dante	CB	D-
Jerome Boateng	CB	A-
Philipp Lahm	RB	B-
Bastian Schweinsteiger	DM	B+
Javi Martinez	DM	A-
Franck Ribery	AM	B-
Thomas Muller	AM	C
Arjen Robben	AM	A
Mario Mandzukic	ST	A-

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