Borussia Dortmund 1-3 Real Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo brace and Gareth Bale wonder strike keep Los Blancos top of Group H
- Sergio Ramos involuntarily cleared Maximilian Philipp's first time strike off the line with his hand
- Dani Carvajal lifted the ball over the top for Gareth Bale to fire a left-footed volley into the top right corner
- Bale's low cross from the left was tucked in by Cristiano Ronaldo at the near post minutes into the second half
- Gonzalo Castro cut in on the left a crossed for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to poke in at the near post
- Ronaldo fired in his second at the near post after being played through by Luka Modric
Cristiano Ronaldo made it 411 goals in 400 games for Real Madrid as the Spanish champions beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 with two from their all-time record scorer and a goal and a man-of-the-match performance from Gareth Bale.
It was Borussia’s second defeat and the now look done for in Group H. Spurs’ double header with Real Madrid over the next month will now decide who tops the group.
Spurs old boy Bale looks in fine form for those meetings although he asked to be taken off with five minutes left holding the back of his right calf.
Cristiano Ronaldo (right) celebrates with Gareth Bale after the pair linked up to to score Madrid's second goal of the game
Real Madrid forward Bale latches on to Dani Carvajal's lifted ball to open the scoring midway through the first half
Bale (centre) fired a brilliant left-footed volley past goalkeeper Roman Burki (right) to break the deadlock
The Welshman wheels away in celebration after netting his first Champions League goal of the season
Real Madrid players rush over to congratulate Bale after his world class strike had given them the lead
Cristiano Ronaldo (right) beats Jeremy Toljan to the ball to double Real Madrid's lead shortly into the second half
The Portugal international (2nd left) tucked the ball in at the near post after meeting Bale's low cross from the left
Ronaldo (centre) makes his way over to team-mate Bale (left) after bagging his third goal of the group stages
MATCH FACTS, RATINGS, TABLE AND MATCH ZONE
Borussia Dortmund (4-3-3): Burki; Piszczek, Sokratis, Toprak, Toljan (Dahoud 60); Gotze (Pulisic 76), Sahin (Weigl 60), Castro; Yarmolenko, Aubameyang, Philipp.
Subs not used: Weidenfeller, Zagadou, Bartra, Kagawa.
Goal: Aubameyang 54
Booked: Toprak, Sahin
Real Madrid (4-3-3): Navas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Nacho; Modric (Ceballos 91), Casemiro, Kroos; Bale (Vasquez 85), Ronaldo, Isco (Asensio 76).
Subs not used: Casilla, Hakimi, Llorente, Mayoral.
Goals: Bale 18, Ronaldo 49, 79
Booked: Carvajal, Modric, Bale
His opening goal was one for the critics in Spain who claim he is just an athlete, a sprinter with dodgy hamstrings who is okay when he’s fit and flying but lacks the brain and technique to be worthy of the current European Champions.
Power is nothing without control and when Dani Carvajal’s inviting cross dropped to him on 19 minutes he might have put his foot through it and sent it high and wide, instead he passed it into the net with a perfectly executed side-foot volley past Roman Burki.
Bale could have scored again moments later when Luka Modric played him in. He then picked up a harsh yellow card for an outstretched arm as he jumped for a header. The referee Bjorn Kuipers took two more Madrid names before the break with Carvajal booked for pulling back Maximilian Philipp and Modric then cautioned for counting out the steps for the wall.
Pierre Emerick Aubameyang was causing problems for Real Madrid but every time the Spanish team attacked they looked like adding to their lead and it had been that way from kick off when Carvajal sprinted clear but instead of playing in Ronaldo or Bale he had the shot himself straight at Burki.
Dortmund’s best chance had come when Sergio Ramos hooked off the line as the home side appealed for a penalty as the ball appeared to hit the defender’s hand on the rebound.
Ronaldo (centre) grabs his second, firing past Burki at the near post after being played through by Luka Modric
Dortmund full back Lukasz Piszczek collects the ball out of the back of the net after Ronaldo's second goal
The 32-year-old celebrates with Madrid captain Sergio Ramos after doubling his side's advantage on Tuesday night
The reigning World Player of the Year celebrates after securing his team three points in the Champions League clash
Ramos might have made it 2-0 just before the break but headed wide and Ronaldo shot wide as Real finished the half strongly but failed to kill off their opponents.
Dortmund almost made them pay for that with their first attack of the second half when Andriy Yarmolenko got in behind Nacho and crossed for Aubameyang but Varane took the ball off of his toe just before he could shoot.
Madrid extended their lead five minutes into the second half and Bale was the architect. Isco played him in again behind Dortmund’s risky high line and he lifted his gaze to see Ronaldo poised in the middle. His cross was a gift and Ronaldo greedily accepted scoring past Burki.
Dortmund pulled a goal back through Aubameyang who this time gave both Varane and Ramos the slip to score from Philipp’s cross. Dortmund coach Peter Bosz responded by taking off a defender. Dortmund would go after the equalizer with a back three and two wingers servicing Aubameyang.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2nd left) beats Sergio Ramos (2nd right) to the ball to halve the deficit in the second half
Aubameyang rushes back to the halfway line after hauling his team back into the game at the Signal Iduna Park
It made Dortmund more dangerous on the attack but it was also an open invitation to Bale and the next time he got in behind their defence he went down claiming a penalty. The referee did not point to the spot, neither did he pull out a card for diving that would have seen Bale dismissed. Replays showed he was caught by the Dortmund defender – an exaggerated fall had perhaps cost him the benefit of the referee’s doubt.
Madrid went close again when Varane dribbled out from the back and released Isco whose shot was brilliantly turned away low to his right by Burki.
The next goal looked as if it could go in at either end but Ronaldo would have the last word on the occasion of his 400th Madrid game.
Dortmund were tiring and when Modric released Ronaldo he honed in on Burki’s goal. He had substitute Marco Asensio in the clear but passing was not on the agenda as he rifled the ball past the goalkeeper to make it 3-1.
Sergio Ramos (right) involuntarily clears Maximilian Philipp's first time strike off the line with his hand
Nuri Sahin (centre) and Mario Gotze appeal to referee Bjorn Kuipers after Ramos' hand denied their team a goal
Ronaldo chats with a Madrid supporter on the pitch after the referee had blown his final whistle in Dortmund
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