Borussia Dortmund overturned an early deficit to claim a 2-1 victory against LOSC Lille at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, securing a 3-2 aggregate win that sends them through to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-finals—denying Les Dogues their maiden appearance at this stage.
Drawing inspiration from Paris Saint-Germain’s success the previous night, Lille charged into the lead just five minutes into the match.
Ismaily surged forward from the halfway line along the wing and delivered a cut-back to Jonathan David, whose weak, low shot surprisingly slipped through the grasp of Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and into the net.
The visitors found themselves under pressure and could have faced a deeper deficit had Rémy Cabella managed to control his volley. However, Dortmund quickly seized control, creating a series of chances that surprisingly led to nothing.
Serhou Guirassy sparked the attack, advancing from midfield before finding Pascal Groß, whose shot was deflected away by Lucas Chevalier’s fingertips and a goalline clearance from Alexsandro.
Chevalier then produced a stunning save to deny Julian Brandt’s header and parry Guirassy’s follow-up attempt, while Benjamin André was on hand to block another effort from Brandt on the line.
At the opposite end, André squandered a prime opportunity, heading wide, while Groß rattled the crossbar just before half-time in a thrilling first period that ended with Lille ahead.
Refusing to be disheartened, Niko Kovač’s side came out firing in the second half and were rewarded with a penalty after former Dortmund defender Thomas Meunier took down Guirassy.
Emre Can maintained his composure to slot the ball down the middle from 12 yards, restoring parity in the tie. Kobel then saved a powerful shot from Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, preserving Dortmund’s hopes.
However, Lille found themselves under immediate pressure once again as Karim Adeyemi’s shot skimmed the crossbar and Maximilian Beier’s header went off target.
No such errors from Beier this time; he received a pass from Guirassy inside the area and blasted the ball into the top corner, putting Dortmund ahead.
David and Chuba Akpom both tried their luck but were thwarted by Kobel, as Lille endeavoured to mount a comeback. Nonetheless, Dortmund’s defence stood firm, ensuring their advancement.
For Dortmund, the Champions League offers a much-needed distraction from their struggling domestic form, but they are set to face a formidable challenge against an in-form Barcelona in the quarter-finals.
Lille exits with just their third home defeat out of 17 matches across all competitions, turning their focus now towards securing Champions League qualification through their league standing.
Check out a match summary here
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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