Borussia Dortmund are into the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals after completing a thrilling 5-4 aggregate win over Sevilla with a 2-2 draw at Westfalenstadion on Wednesday night as Erling Haaland starred once again.
The Norwegian star’s goal for the hosts after 35 minutes was a hammer blow to the visitors after they had made a bright start and looked good to at least level the tie before he killed it off with a second after 54 minutes in bizarre circumstances.
⚫️🟡 Erling Haaland = youngest player in history to score 20 goals in the Champions League 👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/IQSQfwDjfH
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 9, 2021
As Sevilla’s good start faded around the 30-minute mark, Dortmund made the most of their opportunity to seize control when captain Marco Reus capitalized on some poor defending to tee the Norwegian star up for an easy finish.
Julen Lopetegui’s men had bossed Edin Terzic’s side over the first half hour or so but had been unable to turn their control of the ball and creation of openings into actual shots on target and they paid dearly for that inefficiency.
Haaland then doubled his tally in truly bizarre circumstances as his inventive initial effort was ruled out after going in because of a Jules Kounde shirt tug and the Scandinavian made it 2-0 at his second attempt from the penalty spot after the initial saved effort was retaken due to Bono’s positioning.
It was another penalty which handed Sevilla a lifeline back into the game when Emre Can clumsily fouled and gave Youssef En-Nesyri an opportunity that he thundered in underneath the crossbar to leave the Spaniards needing two goals in 20 minutes.
Ultimately, the UEFA Europa League holders were unable to recover themselves further and it was actually Dortmund who missed the killer chance when Dahoud was denied by Bono as tempers flared with Diego Carlos lucky not to see red for an elbow on Haaland.
Sevilla did find the back of the net again through En-Nesyri in the dying moments to move to within a goal of progress but it was too little too late with added time as good as up and Lopetegui’s men bowing out.
