Sabitzer sends Dortmund past Atletico Madrid into semi-finals

Quarter-final 2nd leg

Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Atletico Madrid (Agg. 5-4)

Borussia Dortmund are through to their first Champions League semi-final in 11 years after a second-half full of goals saw them defeat Atletico Madrid 4-2 on Tuesday.

Overturning a 2-1 deficit from the first-leg was seen as a task too far for the current Borussia Dortmund team, especially after their woeful display in the first leg against Atletico Madrid.

Scoring two goals against a team coached by Diego Simeone is not easily done, with far better teams than Dortmund having tried and failed.

Admittedly, the current iteration of Los Colchoneros aren’t as feared or effective as Simeone’s previous teams, but they continue to upset the odds in Europe.

Dortmund, though, had a clear aim on Tuesday evening and started out brilliantly. The first goal came as early as the 34th minute, with Julian Brandt giving the hosts hope in the tie.

Mats Hummels has long been known for his passing ability, and his raking pass into the Atleti penalty area was hit with the precision of a missile as it found the feet of Brandt in a dangerous position.

The German international powered the ball into the bottom corner of the net from a tight angle, giving Dortmund hope.

It was this strike that stunned the Atleti defense and they had a mini collapse in the lead to half-time.

Simeone was hoping his charges could get to the interval at 1-0, but that wasn’t possible as an irrepressible Dortmund side doubled their lead and put the aggregate score at 3-2.

On-loan defender Ian Maatsen burst through the lines from his position at left-back, putting the Spanish defense on the back-foot, before unleashing a powerful drive across the body of Jan Oblak and into the bottom corner of the goal.

It was a splendid strike and no more than Dortmund deserved for their early approach to the first-half.

For as amped as the Westfalenstadion had been as a result of the first-half, Atletico Madrid were able to silence them with a brilliant start to the second-half.

If Alvaro Morata’s missed chance early on in the game at 0-0 was a potentially decisive moment, Hummels’ own-goal looked like it may be equally as important.

Put under pressure by Atleti, Hummels was all out of a shape for a ball into the box and he inadvertently put it into his own net whilst trying to clear his lines.

Angel Correa then made it 2-2 with a powerful shot from close-range. The ball fell to him inside the box and he made no mistake.

Atletico Madrid had managed the undo damage done in the first 45 minutes, although the drama didn’t end there.

Chaos was occurring everywhere you looked in the Champions League on Tuesday, and Dortmund were more than playing their part.

In the 71st minute Marcel Sabitzer put in a perfect cross for Niclas Fullkrug who was able to head the ball into the net via the woodwork.

Fans had barely had a chance to catch their breath and there was another Dortmund goal, this time with Sabitzer the scorer.

Just two minutes after he got an assist, the former Manchester United midfielder was first to a rebound inside the box and placed the ball in the net making it 4-2 on the night and 5-4 on aggregate.

Dortmund were able to hold onto their lead and ensure they had a place in the Champions League semi-final for the first time since they reached the final in 2013.