A place in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals awaited either Borussia Dortmund or PSV Eindhoven as they locked horns for the second leg of their tie on Wednesday night. Edin Terzic’s hosts snuck past Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Saturday, while Peter Bosz’s visitors scraped past relegation-threatened Go Ahead Eagles in the Eredivisie the night before.
BVB: Kobel; Can, Sule, Hummels, Maatsen; Sabitzer, Ozcan; Malen, Sancho, Brandt; Fullkrug
PSV: Benitez; Teze, Schouten, Boscagli, Dest; Til; Junior, Veerman; Bakayoko, Tillman, de Jong
The ever-present Yellow Wall witnessed a fast start from their side at the Signal Iduna Park, with Julian Brandt and Ian Maatsen both going extremely close early on; only to both be thwarted by Walter Benitez in the PSV goal.
However, Benitez wouldn’t be able to keep Dortmund out for long as the hosts took a deserved lead. Having seen his effort blocked previously, Julian Brandt was once again involved; only this time, Dortmund’s midfielder was the creator of a great opening for Jadon Sancho, as the German slipped the ball through to the Manchester United loanee who fired home into the bottom corner past the PSV stopper.
Embed from Getty ImagesNiclas Fullkrug could have doubled Dortmund’s advantage just minutes later, but the striker’s low shot went wayward and well past the far post. Julian Brandt and Donyell Malen saw further efforts kept out moments after.
Malen saw yet another chance go begging as his latest effort whistled just wide of the far post, following an excellent ball from Marcel Sabitzer.
With Dortmund missing good chances to edge further ahead, PSV grew in confidence and almost punished their hosts through Johan Bakayoko, who saw his low but fierce shot collected comfortably by Gregor Kobel.
Donyell Malen had another chance to extend Dortmund’s goal tally for the night just four minutes after the break, but his low strike was saved well by Walter Benitez.
PSV substitute Hirving Lozano almost brought the tie level again minutes later, but his thunderous effort from the edge of the box crashed back off the left hand post. Jordan Teze then latched onto a wonderful pass inside the box moments later and fired first time towards goal; only for his strike to be kept out well by Gregor Kobel.
Embed from Getty ImagesUp the other end, Niclas Fullkrug could have sent PSV packing from the Champions League with a well timed header at the far post from Malen’s cross in, but Walter Benitez was there once again to prevent the German from doing so.
Johan Bakayoko then came very close to a PSV leveller down the other end, but his fierce shot was thwarted at the last moment by Gregor Kobel. Luuk de Jong headed well wide from the resulting corner.
Fullkrug thought he had sent Dortmund through with just under 15 minutes to go, but following a VAR check, the German’s goal was ruled out for a very tight offside.
Luuk de Jong could have extended the second leg past the 90 minutes with just two minutes of added time to go, but somehow the Dutchman sent his effort over the bar.
PSV were then made to pay for all their missed chances as they were left to ponder what might have been. A mistake from Jerdy Schouten saw Dortmund substitute Marco Reus latch onto the loose ball and, with virtually the last kick of the game, slotted the ball past Walter Benitez to send Dortmund through to the round of eight.
Embed from Getty ImagesBoth teams are back in league action on Sunday, as Dortmund welcome Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga at 4:30pm UK time, and PSV host FC Twente in the Eredivisie at 7pm UK time.
