Borussia Glad to beat Bayern

Borussia Mönchengladbach struck three times in 14 minutes in the second half to floor Bayern Munich 3-1 and inflict the champions’ first Bundesliga defeat of the season.

Oscar Wendt put the hosts ahead in the 54th minute and quick goals from Lars Stindl and Fabian Johnson knocked out Bayern, who looked stunned after winning 13 of their 14 league games in a record-breaking start to the campaign.

Franck Ribéry scored on his comeback after an eight-month injury break but the Frenchman’s 81st-minute goal came too late to turn the game around.

Gladbach stretched their unbeaten run under André Schubert to 10 league games and climbed to third on 26 points. Bayern are top on 40, eight ahead of Borussia Dortmund, who take on VfL Wolfsburg later on Saturday.

Bayern, repeatedly caught napping at the back and lacking their usual pace on the wings with Arjen Robben and Douglas Costa out injured, were still the better side in the first half. Robert Lewandowski connected with a superb Philipp Lahm through ball in the 18th minute and Thomas Müller had a shot on goal but Yann Sommer was well placed to save both efforts.

Pep Guardiola’s side kept up the pressure and Kingsley Coman hit the post with a low drive in the 25th minute.

Gladbach, however – in sensational form under Schubert since a five-game losing start – refused to buckle and hit the champions on the break, Raffael combining beautifully with Wendt and the Swede curling a low shot past Manuel Neuer.

Julian Korb came agonisingly close to a second goal but Neuer, at full stretch, kicked the ball on to the bar. Stindl, however, was given far too much space in the box and he volleyed in on 66 minutes as the game tipped firmly in the hosts’ favour.

Johnson beat the offside trap, with defender Jérôme Boateng caught out, two minutes later before Ribéry scored a consolation for Bayern.

Related articles

• Bayern Munich substitute Robert Lewandowski breaks record with five goals in nine minutes
• Bayern Munich substitute Robert Lewandowski breaks record with five goals in nine minutes
• How Lewandowski Made History With Five Goals In Nine Minutes
• Bayern's Robert Lewandowski scores five goals in nine minutes. And, yes, that's a record.
• Half-Time Report: Olympiakos hold Bayern Munich at break
• 'What a special moment': Robert Lewandowski scores five goals in nine minutes for Bayern Munich

Borussia Real Winners in Dortmund

Marcel Schmelzer's second-half volley was enough to hand Borussia Dortmund a fine 2-1 win over Real Madrid and move the German champions to the top of Group D.

Robert Lewandowksi fired the hosts into the lead on 36 minutes but within two minutes Real were level as Cristiano Ronaldo lobbed in his fifth Champions League goal of the season.

However, Dortmund were the stronger side after half-time and deservedly got the winner midway through the half as Iker Casillas' weak punch was seized upon by Schmelzer, who sealed a famous night for Jurgen Klopp's men.

Real have now only won once in 24 games in Germany but it was nearly a familiar face that undid the hosts early on as Ronaldo burst down the left after just six minutes and his low cross should have been put away by Mesut Ozil, but the German international prodded wide.

Casillas was then called into action for the first time on 12 minutes by a low effort from Sebastian Kehl, before Real's other Germany international, Sami Khedira, was replaced by Luka Modric after pulling up with a muscle injury.

The change did not seem to unduly unsettle the visitors, though, as they continued to have the better of the play, but both Angel Di Maria and Ronaldo fired wastefully off target when presented with good shooting opportunities.

Kehl forced Casillas into an even better save with another long-range effort just before the half-hour mark from Mario Gotze's cutback, but the Bundesliga champions did go in front eight minutes later when Kehl pounced on a wayward pass by Pepe to release Lewandowski and he made no mistake with an emphatic finish inside Casillas' left-hand post.

The lead only lasted seconds, though, as Ozil's long ball forward was not cut out by Lukasz Pisczek and Ronaldo comfortably lofted the ball over the advancing Roman Weidenfeller who should probably have stayed on his line.

The home side reacted brightly to the equaliser at the start of the second period and Casillas had to be sharp to turn behind efforts from Gotze and Marco Reus, however, as is so often the case, Real were enjoying the space they were being allowed to counter-attack into and they should have gone in front but Di Maria wasted clean-through chance.

Having saved his side on a few occasions, though, it was Casillas who was at fault as Dortmund retook the lead with 26 minutes to go as he could only parry a cross from the right as far as Schmelzer on the edge of the area and his volley into the ground made its way through a crowd of bodies and into the bottom corner.

Things could have been even worse for the Spanish champions 12 minutes later as Gotze had strong claims for a penalty waved away after appearing to have been pushed by Pepe, but, despite the introduction of Gonzalo Higuain from the bench, Real rarely threatened an equaliser, with their best chance coming a minute from time when Michael Essien headed wide from a narrow angle.

Related articles

• Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid: Lineups
• Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid: Dortmund take the lead again after Casillas error
• Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid - Preview
• Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid to battle it out in UEFA Champions League
• Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid - live!
• Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid: Complete Preview, Team News, Projected Lineup

Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid - Preview

Borussia Dortmund will be hoping Real Madrid's disjointed defence will buckle at their mercy on Wednesday night.

With top spot in Champions League Group D up for grabs, Borussia Dortmund will be hoping Real Madrid's disjointed defence will buckle at their mercy on Wednesday night.

Madrid are currently in disarray across the back line, with Marcelo, Alvaro Arbeloa and Fabio Coentrao all sidelined.

As a result, coach Jose Mourinho took on Celta Vigo at the weekend with midfielder Michael Essien at left-back, centre-half Sergio Ramos at right-back and rookie Raphael Varane in the middle.

Such a situation is far from ideal in arguably the tightest of the eight groups, with Madrid (six points), Dortmund (four) and Manchester City (one) all desperate to get through.

The return of defensive midfielder Sami Khedira should help Madrid's cause in Germany, but he accepts it will be no easy night.

"I think that Dortmund are a great team, but so are Manchester City," he said, first assessing the state of the group.

"I believe that all three teams - and also Ajax - are great teams, so we cannot afford to focus only on Borussia.

"But, if we win, it's clear we will have taken a big step towards classification as first in the group.

"Dortmund are a compact team, they play in a block and also at great pace for 90 minutes. They are disciplined tactically, and have a lot of quality, especially in attack."

Dortmund will be taking to their home ground of Signal Iduna Park for the first time since the weekend's bad-tempered clash with Schalke.

Crowd violence marred the derby game but, according to former Stuttgart midfielder Khedira, it is an exciting place to play.

"It's a special time, because the atmosphere is always unique in Germany," he said.

"Playing at Dortmund is always nice, because it has a special atmosphere. The atmosphere of champions."

Dortmund were considered to be mightily unlucky not to take all three points from their last outing at Manchester City.

A brilliant display of goalkeeping by Joe Hart prevented them from adding to their goal, before a late, controversial penalty made it 1-1.

A league loss to Schalke is their most recent form, though, and manager Jurgen Klopp said: "We did not play well against Schalke, but there is nothing we can do to change that.

"The match against Real Madrid remains a cool match."

Key midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski will be missing again for Dortmund, but left-back Marcel Schmelzer, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan and playmaker Mario Gotze are set to return.

Related articles

• Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid, 2012 UEFA Champions League: Preview and TV schedule
• Ricken: Time for Dortmund to deliver
• Dortmund out to halt Real's momentum
• Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Madrid: Complete Preview, Team News, Projected Lineup
• Borussia Dortmund vs Real Madrid: Live Stream Info on UEFA Champions League Tilt
• You: Real Madrid vs. Celta Vigo: Madrid in Trouble Ahead of Borussia Dortmund Clash

Neuer Keeps Bayern Treble on Track

Bayern Munich set up a mouth-watering DFB Pokal final with Borussia Dortmund after beating Borussia Moenchengladbach on penalties on Wednesday to keep their treble chances on track.

Following a goalless 120 minutes, Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer saved a penalty by Havard Nordveit after Gladbach's Dante had fired his spot kick over the bar to clinch a 4-2 win on penalties.

Bayern are also still in the running for the Bundesliga and Champions League titles.

Gladbach, unbeaten at home for the previous 18 consecutive games having won 13 and drawn five, were lucky not to concede a goal after six minutes with Toni Kroos' low drive hitting the post.

Bundesliga top scorer Mario Gomez was then denied by Gladbach keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen, who parried the forward's powerful header.

In an entertaining encounter, Bayern, who had scored 20 goals in their last three games, had the better chances with Arjen Robben twice coming close while Gladbach's Marco Reus was also twice denied by keeper Manuel Neuer, including six minutes from time in a one-on-one situation.

Dutchman Robben tried his luck from a distance in extra time but his thundering drive was spectacularly palmed away by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Bayern last won this competition in 2009/10 beating Werder Bremen in the final and it will be their third cup final in the last five seasons.

Dortmund had booked their spot in the final on Tuesday with a last-gasp goal in extra time for a nervous 1-0 win over second division leaders Greuther Fuerth.