Vinicius Junior scored a spectacular hat trick as Real Madrid staged a remarkable second-half comeback to defeat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in Champions League action Tuesday, transforming halftime boos into jubilant cheers at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The reigning European champions found themselves in unfamiliar territory, trailing 2-0 at the break after Donyell Malen opened the scoring in the 30th minute and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens added a second four minutes later. Bynoe-Gittens’ strike made him the youngest Englishman to score against Real Madrid in Champions League history.
“We know that when we are at home playing in front of our fans, anything can happen,” Vinicius Junior said afterward. “When we got to the locker room, we were all very quiet, we just listened to the coach and we said only one thing, that if we scored the first goal, we would rally and win, and we did it again.”
Madrid’s transformation began on the hour mark when Antonio Rudiger headed home Kylian Mbappe’s cross. Vinicius Junior equalized two minutes later, tapping into an empty net after a VAR review confirmed the goal was legitimate despite initial offside concerns.
Lucas Vazquez gave Madrid the lead with a precise finish from a tight angle before Vinicius Junior sealed the victory with two more goals, including a spectacular solo effort and a powerful strike into the top corner to complete his hat trick.
The victory, coming after Madrid’s 14-match unbeaten run in the competition was ended in their previous Champions League outing, moves the Spanish giants into ninth place with six points from three matches. Dortmund, despite the defeat, remains in fifth position.
The Brazilian forward’s masterclass performance further strengthens his position as favorite for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, scheduled to be awarded later this month.
Before the comeback, Madrid had squandered several opportunities to get back into the match, with Jude Bellingham heading straight at Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel from close range, while both Rodrygo and Bellingham struck the woodwork during a frantic first-half finale.
