The teams re-emerged, the tension thicker than ever. The Yellow Wall, a living, breathing entity, roared its defiance. They had 45 minutes to score two goals and keep a clean sheet against one of the best defensive units in world football. The mountain was steep, but it was not unclimbable.
From the restart, Dortmund played with a renewed sense of urgency. They moved the ball quicker, their pressing was more intense, their attacks more direct. They were a team possessed, driven by the roar of their supporters and the burning desire to write their own chapter in the club's storied history.
Five minutes into the half, the breakthrough came. It wasn't a moment of individual brilliance, but a goal born of pure, unadulterated teamwork. Gündoğan, the midfield metronome, picked up the ball in the center circle. He played a quick pass to Reus, who had drifted into a pocket of space on the left. Reus took a touch, then whipped in a ferocious, first-time cross towards the far post.
