The UEFA Champions League offers some of the most beautiful and magical competitions among Europe's greatest clubs. In these star-studded events, new rivalries are formed, hearts are broken, and heroes are made. The second leg of the Borussia Dortmund and Malaga CF showdown has indeed done all three of these things.
The Spanish club had created a strong counterattacking approach against the Germans throughout the match and struck gold twice-- once in the 25th minute and again in the waning moments of the match in the 82nd minute. All seemed won for Malaga until Borussia Dortmund strung together a magical double within only four minutes of stoppage-time.
In the two legs of this series, Dortmund appeared to lack its elegance and killer instinct that earned them last year's Bundesliga title, not to mention the DFB Pokal. After a 0-0 first leg at Malaga and a trip back home, the signs were pointing to Malaga to take the series and advance with the away goals they were bound to score.
Lo and behold, Malaga's Joaquin masterfully faked the lunging German defense and netted the first goal in the 25th minute softly past Roman Weindenfeller.
Not to be outdone, Dortmund had its response fifteen minutes later. Polish international Robert Lewandowski beat goalkeeper Wilfredo Caballero after a quick counterattack started with Mario Gotze. After Dortmund won the ball in their half, Gotze centered the ball to Marco Reus who brilliantly sent the ball on with a no-look back heel to a full pace Lewandowski who coolly eveled the game at 1-1.
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Despite the beautiful leveling, Malaga's attack force that is Joaquin, Isco, and Julio Bapstista kept the pressure in Dortmund's side of the pitch to prevent any more serious attacking chances.
Cue the controversy.
Malaga's Eliseu tapped in a point-blank goal into the empty Dortmund net after a brilliant through ball, but replays show he was clearly a step offside. The goal stood and Malaga seemed to have the series clinched even if Dortmund managed to tie the match.
Borussia Dortmund looked like they were going to fall to Malaga CF after a scrappy but mostly unimpressive series. Not to go down without a fight, Jurgen Klopp sent his big men, Felipe Santana and Mats Hummels, up to hopefully muscle in a goal. A poorly defended low cross allowed Neven Subotic, Felipe Santana, and Marco Reus to clean up and put away the game-leveler.
Despite the excitement, Malaga CF was still through with their two away goals.
Barely one minute later, Robert Lewandowski anxiously sent a cross in from the left that found what appears to have been four offside Borussians. The ball chaotically bounced within six yards of the box and Felipe Santana, standing on the goal line, pushed the go ahead goal into the net to the delight of the Dortmund fans and the dismay of Malaga fans all around the world.
Malaga's president, Abdullah N Al Thani cried out on Twitter that they faced "injustice and racism" in their last-minute defeat to Dortmund.
Despite the passionate reactions to this beautiful match, we must acknowledge that half of the goals scored were highly controversial. Officials made crucial errors that have potential to ruin the next matches in the UEFA Champions League.
In the end, we may have witnessed the birth of a fiery European rivalry between these two talented clubs. Malaga can head back home with their heads held high and Dortmund may revel in the victory, looking forward to play the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG, Juventus, or Bayern Munich.
By: Matthew Sinacore
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