Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund. UEFA Champions League Group H.
Santiago BernabeuAttendance73,323.
Thursday 7 December 2017 09:21, UK
Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in all six games of the Champions League group stage as Real Madrid beat Dortmund 3-2 at the Bernabeu.
The Portugal forward whipped home a terrific shot from 20 yards on 12 minutes in a lightning start by the hosts in which Borja Mayoral (8) also scored his first European goal.
Dortmund finally woke midway through the first-half and two goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang either side of half-time hauled the visitors back into the game.
But Lucas Vazquez's volley nine minutes from time denied the Germans, who progress to the Europa League's next stage following Tottenham's 3-0 win over bottom side Apoel Nicosia.
Ronaldo was also involved in the first goal, as he cut in off the left and drifted inside. His pass into the box found Isco, whose touch on the turn allowed the ball to fall to Mayoral seven yards out and he was left with a simple dinked finish over the 'keeper.
The 32-year-old then secured his place in the record books four minutes later when Nacho beat his man down the right and crossed and after the ball was eventually worked to Ronaldo, he took a touch and curled home past a static Roman Burki.
Theo Hernandez then dragged a shot just wide as Madrid continued to pour forward, until from nowhere, Dortmund rallied and found a threat of their own.
First Shinji Kagawa just failed to pick out Aubamayang with a ball across the face of goal, before Christian Pulisic then did superbly to drift past a clutch of Madrid players before feeding Kagawa into the box, but his first-time shot was blocked and hacked clear.
Aubamayang then dragged another chance wide on 35 minutes before he did score seven minutes later with a fine downward header from Marcel Schmelzer's clipped cross.
And Dortmund were level three minutes after the break when Aubameyang capitalised on an absent offside flag to beat Keylor Navas with a delicious chip after his initial effort had been saved.
Stung into action, Madrid upped the tempo and Ronaldo saw a shot fizz just wide before being convinced he should have had a penalty and then seeing his own close-range effort harshly flagged for offside.
But it mattered not, as Dortmund failed to deal with a high ball into the box and as the ball was knocked down to the Vazquez, he volleyed with the outside of his boot and the ball squirted into the far corner.
Always involved, always a threat, Ronaldo found a new way to put his name into the record books with his goal to become the first player to score in all six group stage games. The goal was a delight, but he was also integral to Madrid's first, could have had a penalty and had a goal harshly ruled out for offside.
Real Madrid host Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday looking to cut the gap on league leaders Barcelona, while Dortmund, sixth in the Bundesliga, are at home to Werder Bremen.
