Last gasp penalty sees Atalanta stun Dortmund

Knockout Play-off 2nd leg

Atalanta 4-1 Borussia Dortmund (Agg. 4-3)

Atalanta scored a dramatic penalty with the last kick of the game as the Italians staged an incredible fightback to beat Borussia Dortmund and progress to the last 16 of the Champions League.

The hosts had faced an almighty task after losing the first leg 2-0 in Germany, but scored twice in the first half through Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Zappacosta to level the tie on aggregate.

Mario Pasalic made it 3-0 in the 57th minute, but Karim Adeyemi looked to have taken the game into extra time when he curled in a leveller overall.

But, with just seconds left in stoppage time, Ramy Bensebaini caught Nikola Krstovic on the head in the box with a reckless high boot as the Atalanta forward attempted to meet a cross following a mistake by visiting keeper Gregor Kobel.

After a check by the video assistant referee (VAR) for a penalty and a possible red card, referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez was summoned to the screen, after which he decided to award the spot-kick and dismiss Bensebaini with a second yellow card.

Lazar Samardzic then kept his cool to convert the highest of pressure penalties, sending the ball into the roof of the net and Atalanta into the last 16, where they will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich.

The home fans celebrated wildly at the final whistle after witnessing an amazing display of desire and determination from their side.

Atalanta knew they needed an early goal to give them a chance of a famous comeback – and they got just that in the fifth minute.

Lorenzo Bernasconi sent a low cross in from the left, where former West Ham forward Scamacca was in the perfect place to tap in.

As Dortmund looked increasingly rattled, the hosts added a second on the stroke of half-time when Zappacosta’s shot from outside the box took a deflection on its way into the net.

After Adeyemi’s 75th-minute strike cancelled out Pasalic’s effort, the tie opened up with both sides having chances before the end.

But the decisive moment came in the third of three minutes of stoppage time as extra time beckoned.

Kobel failed to clear and gifted Atalanta an attacking opportunity that led to the penalty as Bensebaini flicked out a leg backwards as Krstovic stooped to meet the cross.

Amid the chaos and furious protests on the Dortmund bench at the decision, substitute Nico Schlotterbeck was also shown a red card.

It was a remarkable end after a remarkable effort by Atalanta.

Not since Liverpool, in their 2019 semi-final against Barcelona, had a team progressed after losing the first leg of a knockout-stage tie by two or more goals.