Real Madrid had to work for it, but the 5-2 win over Borussia Dortmund on match-day three of the new format UEFA Champions League was as satisfying as they come, with Vinicius Jr. netting a roof-raising second half hat-trick to secure the result.
Unlike the last time both teams met in the competition’s final last season, Dortmund started the match at the Santiago Bernabeu like a house on fire and duly broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark through Donyell Malen.
Malen would then go from goal scorer to provider four minutes later when he worked his way into the Real box and laid a pass across goal to set up an easy tap-in for the sliding Jamie Brynoe-Gittens.
But if Real Madrid is known with many traits, finding a way to win even when it seems a foregone conclusion is that one trait that stands out and the second half proved it yet again.
Antonio Rudiger’s powerful header from Kylian Mbappe’s cross sparked the comeback on the hour mark. Two minutes later and the match was level thanks to a Vinicius tap-in.
It took 20 minutes for it to come but it was inevitable and captain Lucas Vazquez delivered the winner for Real Madrid in the 83rd minute, before Vinicius put the toppings on another memorable night for Carlo Ancelotti’s side with two well-taken goals in the closing stages.
Despite the result, Dortmund will remain ahead of Madrid by the end of match-day three although the reigning champions are now level on six points with the German side.