The Albany Gazette - Vinicius treble fires Champions League holders Madrid to Dortmund comeback

After a shock stumble at Lille in their previous European match, Madrid crushed Dortmund, in a repeat of last season's final, with a superb second half display.

Carlo Ancelotti's side claimed a record-extending 15th Champions League crown at Wembley and, as in that match, struggled in the first half against the Bundesliga side, who went two goals up through Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens.

However Antonio Rudiger and Vinicius pulled Madrid level with two goals in two minutes and Lucas Vazquez fired home the third after 83 minutes.

Vinicius produced a brilliant solo goal for Madrid's fourth and slammed in the fifth as Los Blancos ended Dortmund's 100 percent start to the competition.

Madrid coach Ancelotti brought Rodrygo into the attack alongside Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius, reverting to a 4-3-3 formation after a brief experiment with three at the back in the narrow La Liga win over Celta Vigo on Saturday.

After midfield maestro Toni Kroos' retirement and while trying to bed Mbappe into the team, Madrid have struggled to find balance and consistency this season.

They were frustrated for the first half an hour of the game by the visitors, unable to create clear cut openings before the game burst open.

Malen opened the scoring with a cool finish after Julian Brandt won the ball back on the edge of the area and Serhou Guirassy squeezed a pass through a tight gap to find the Dutch winger.

Four minutes later Malen created the second, using his explosive pace to escape Ferland Mendy and crossing for Gittens to gleefully finish.

Madrid responded by carving open Dortmund before the break but without finding a killer finish.

Bellingham, without a goal in 10 games this season, headed straight at Gregor Kobel when he ran onto a scooped pass into the area.

The England international, facing his former club, then struck the crossbar from close range on the rebound after team-mate Rodrygo had also hit the woodwork, with Madrid fans barely able to believe they had not scored.

Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a fine save to thwart Brandt before the break when the midfielder let fly from outside the area.

The hosts turned the screw in the second half and Kobel saved well at the near post from Lucas Vazquez but could not keep out Rudiger's powerful header from Mbappe's cross after an hour.

Two minutes later Madrid were level when Mbappe was tackled in the area but the ball fell invitingly for Vinicius to stroke home with ease.

Madrid's comeback was completed by Vazquez after Rodrygo did well to keep the ball from going out of play, and Vinicius added shine with his fine fourth.

The Brazilian, expected to claim a first Ballon d'Or on Monday in Paris, carried the ball forward without support and produced a lethal low finish.

Vinicius then added a fifth by bursting into the area and rifling past Kobel, also issuing a warning to La Liga leaders Barcelona who visit the Bernabeu on Saturday in La Liga.

(A.Thompson--TAG)