Arjen Robben shoots Bayern to victory

An 89th-minute Arjen Robben goal helped Bayern Munich to a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley yesterday.
Mario Mandzukic had put Bayern ahead on the hour mark, only for Ilkay Gundogan to bring Dortmund level from the penalty spot just seven minutes later.
It looked like the game would go to extra-time only for Robben to keep his cool in the last minute when the ball fell kindly to him in the penalty area, scuffing a shot past Roman Weidenfeller to see his team crowned champion of Europe.
Aside the result, it was a monumental evening for German football, as the two sides approached the game with caution as they were driven by very different motivations.
The clash at Wembley Stadium was the first all-Bundesliga final in Champions League history. However, for two years, Barcelona confirmed their status as Europe’s pre-eminent side by outclassing Manchester United in the same arena to win the 2011 tournament, but the way Bayern and Dortmund tore through this season’s competition suggests a new continental order is asserting itself.
Bayern left Barca in ruins with an incredible 7-0 aggregate win in the semis, while Dortmund’s 4-1 defeat of Real Madrid in the same round left the football world openmouthed in amazement.
Yesterday’s game was the 101st competitive meeting between the sides and eight encounters over the last two seasons.