Bayern Champions of Europe

In a final that lived up to the expectation, Arjen Robben’s late winner saw Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund to lift the UEFA Champions League at the Wembley yesterday.

It was not until the 10th minute before the first real scoring opportunity fell to Borussia, but Jakub Blaszczykowski sent his first-time effort sailing over the bar after the ball had fallen kindly for him on the edge of the area.   Four minutes later, Robert Lewandowski found a yard of space just outside the box and tried to curl the ball beyond Neuer, but the German number one got his fingertips to it, diverting the ball over the bar. Neuer came to the rescue three more times to deny Blaszczykowski, Marco Reus and Sven Bender within the opening 25 minutes.   Absorbing the pressure, the Bavarians slowly started to explore the opposition territory. Bayern had their first real chance in the 17th minute as Mandzukic’s head to a perfect cross was tipped over the bar by Weidenfeller.    Robben let Bayern down in the 30th minute. A quick break put him through one-on-one with Weidenfeller, but the Dortmund goalie blocked the shot to keep the game alive. Robben, in the 43rd minute, wasted the easiest of the chances when he was played into the box with just Weidenfeller to beat as a long ball dropped beyond last defender Hummels - but the Dutchman shot straight at the goalkeeper's face.   Robben was once again in the center of action as this time, in the 60th minute, the left footer pulled the goalie and beat him with a whipped ball across the goal and Mandzukic finished from about a yard out. However, the celebration was short lived as Borussia playmaker Gundogan squared it up just seven minutes later. Defender Dante went in on Reus with a high boot and caught him in the midriff, resulting in a penalty. Gundogan sent the keeper to the wrong side to level the game 1-1 in the 67th minute.    With only a couple of minutes left of regular time, Robben amended his earlier misses to score from a clever left footed finish and bring Bayern the Champions League trophy. Ribery fed him a sloppy back-heel inside the box and Robben worked his way around Hummels' challenge to roll it past Weidenfeller.