Dortmund dramatically edges Atletico in Champions League epic
Borussia Dortmund topped Atletico Madrid at home in an epic UEFA Champions League match on Tuesday. The German side had to win on the night to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. Atleti traveled to Germany holding a slender lead on aggregate thanks to a 2-1 victory in the first leg on April 10.
As somewhat average as the first matchup between these two teams was, the return leg was an incredible fixture. Dortmund and Atleti managed to score six combined goals in the game, with the hosts grabbing four of the scores. As a result of the multi-goal victory, the Bundesliga giants reversed the deficit and will move on to the final four.
Dortmund takes a 2-0 advantage on the night into the halftime break
Surprisingly enough, both teams got off to a shaky start in the finishing department on Tuesday. Marcel Sabitzer perhaps should have put the hosts ahead in the third minute of the match. Karim Adeyemi initially did well to find his Austrian teammate free inside of the opposing box. Sabitzer, however, elected to take a touch despite having the entire Atleti goal to shoot at. The decision backfired and Cesar Azpilicueta ultimately snuffed out the massive chance.
Atleti then had an even bigger opportunity to score less than two minutes later. Alvaro Morata ran free on goal towards the Dortmund keeper with no defender in front of him. The striker initially did well to dink a clever shot over Gregor Kobel, but he pushed the ball too far wide of the post.
Nevertheless, Dortmund would finally grab the opening goal in the game in the 34th minute. Atleti initially attempted to clear the ball to safety, but the hosts only regained possession. Mats Hummels created the score with a perfect lobbed pass over the opposing defense toward Julian Brandt.
The attacker collected the ball, beat Axel Witsel inside the box, and then slid a shot just underneath Jan Oblak in goal. The keeper perhaps should have done a bit better to deny the goal, yet Brandt will not mind either way. Dortmund’s goal leveled the tie, but the score would not stay this way for long.
Sabitzer then found Ian Maatsen at the edge of the Atleti box racing toward goal just five minutes later. The versatile defender collected the pass, dribbled by Koke, and hit the bottom corner of the net with a hard shot. It was only Maatsen’s second goal of the entire campaign on loan with the German side from Chelsea.
Visitors fight back to a level scoreline thanks to a substitute
Atleti would gain a goal back within just a few minutes of starting the second half. Hummels, who created the first Dortmund strike, accidentally put the ball in the back of his own net. The defender attempted to clear a headed ball from danger but instead did not get enough on the block. As a result of the awkward deflection, Kobel did not expect the ball to come back to his left side. Nevertheless, Atleti was able to level the tie once again at 3-3.
The Spaniards then scored yet another goal in the 65th minute to take the lead once again. Angel Correa initially slid a dangerous square ball through the Dortmund box. Although nothing exactly came from the pass, the ball eventually found its way back to the substitute in front of Kobel’s goal. The attacker managed to get on top of the bouncing ball enough to strike a shot into the roof of the net. Correa only entered the fray just after the halftime break but made a massive impact on the match.
Dortmund scores twice in quick succession to defeat Atletico in Champions League
Dortmund, however, responded with a goal just six minutes later. Sabitzer was once again the heart of the attack by sending a cross towards Niclas Fullkrug. The center forward guided the pass with a perfect header into the top far corner of the net. Oblak did not have much of a chance to even make a reactive save on the attempt. It was the Germany international’s first club goal in two months.
Sabitzer then scored a goal for himself two minutes later for the sixth total goal on the night, and ninth in the two-legged affair. The midfielder picked up possession just outside of the Atleti box. He controlled the ball, put it on his better left foot and sent a low arrowing shot into the bottom of the net. The Spanish side had plenty of players in the area, but the ball somehow missed everyone on the way to the goal.
Dortmund’s 4-2 win on the night meant that the two-legged tie finished at 5-4 in favor of the Germans. They will next face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semifinals. The French side also completed an impressive comeback to beat Barcelona on Tuesday as well.
PHOTOS: IMAGO