After FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund also made it into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus were the match winners in the 2-0 triumph over PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday evening (March 13, 2024).
“I think it was a good game for us, especially in the first half. When we play football like that, we’re a really great team. We’re just looking forward to the quarter-finals. There are some great teams there,” said the captain Emre Can shortly after the final whistle.
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Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was also thrilled: “It feels really, really nice. I’m really looking forward to the tasks ahead. But we have important games in the Bundesliga ahead of us. We don’t have time to take a breather.”
Dortmund immediately with Sturm und Drang
After the 1-1 draw in the first leg on February 20th, the victory was hard-fought – but ultimately well deserved. Dortmund had a clear preponderance right from the start, PSV initially seemed paralyzed, completely passive, without any initiative of their own. After just under five minutes, the attack paid off: After Eindhoven was unable to clear a ball, the ball came to Sancho via Niclas Füllkrug and Julian Brandt. He wasn’t attacked 20 meters in front of the goal. PSV keeper Walter Benitez also looked miserable when he fired a low shot into the left corner.
After a good 20 minutes of BVB’s continuous superiority with 7-0 shots on goal and almost 70 percent possession of the ball, one of the hosts’ shortcomings became increasingly clear: they didn’t follow through. Füllkrug missed his low shot from a good distance, as did Donyell Malen shortly afterwards. Brandt also missed the long overdue 2-0 from a tight angle.
PSV is becoming more active, but with no chances to score
It was only in the last ten minutes of the first half that coach Peter Bosz’s visiting team took an active part in the forward game. However, the very attentive Mats Hummels, as well as Can, Niklas Süle and Ian Maatsen, ensured that no real scoring chances arose from the rebellion.
This trend continued in the second half, but things became increasingly uncomfortable for BVB keeper Gregor Kobel. Hirving Lozano had a chance to equalize in the 53rd minute, but failed at the left outside post. Two minutes later, Jordan Teze also broke through Dortmund’s previously secure defense, but Kobel reflexively deflected the ball past the goal.
Füllkrug initially missed the preliminary decision
It wasn’t until the 64th minute that BVB once again consistently carried out an attack until the end, but Füllkrug, completely unmarked, failed to hit Benitez with a header. However, the security and dominance from the first round did not return.
Dortmund then withdrew far too far, only lurking on the counterattack, and at times only had 35 percent possession of the ball in the second half. But both Luuk de Jong and Johan Bakayoko didn’t make use of their space and failed again and again due to a lack of precision and an extremely confident Kobel.
Reus hangs up – but the VAR intervenes
After 75 minutes, Edin Terzic brought about a shift in power when he came on as a substitute. Marco Reus replaced the tired Sancho, and the long-time captain immediately boosted Dortmund’s game. His free kick in the 77th minute almost made it 2-0, but after Füllkrug scored with a direct shot, the VAR conceded the goal again due to a very slight offside position.
So the tremors lasted until the end. Shortly before the end, De Jong, Teze and Lozano had another good chance to force extra time, but again they found their match in Kobel. De Jong missed his greatest opportunity in the 93rd minute: he was allowed to walk through the BVB defense completely unhindered, but shot well over the goal. The penalty came in the 95th minute: Reus completed a Dortmund counterattack to make it 2-0.
