Borussia Dortmund misplaced 2-1 tonight, however they are going to be completely satisfied realizing that they return to Germany only one objective behind their Spanish opponents, who at one stage regarded like working away with this encounter.

Maybe the absence of Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham took numerous consideration away from this tie, nevertheless it at all times appeared prefer it could be the closest encounter out of all this week’s European Cup quarter-finals. Each Atlético Madrid and Borussia Dortmund have had their backs in opposition to the wall domestically this season, so what higher method to salvage the marketing campaign than preventing for the last word prize of European glory?

As anticipated, the Metropolitano was a cauldron of noise ready to boil over, and it wouldn’t take lengthy. A hostile ambiance that has been welcoming to no customer; Atlético have actually by no means misplaced a house Champions League knock-out match right here. The house crew had been met by hundreds of followers and a whole lot of flares as their bus climbed the highway up in the direction of the Metropolitano stadium, and the spring solar solely helped the occasion temper.

Dortmund regarded to begin the sport off with their foot on the ball, however they had been immediately carved open by an Atléti counter. Antoine Griezmann break up open the flailing Borussia backline with a pleasant go however Álvaro Morata noticed his effort on objective blocked. It wouldn’t matter although, as what felt like simply seconds later Rodrigo de Paul pounced on a free ball across the fringe of the field and slipped within the opening objective for the hosts.

Atlético maintained the strain on Dortmund and it felt like a second objective was inevitable. Axel Witsel noticed his flick splendidly denied by keeper Gregor Kobel, however the house momentum didn’t stop. The guests had been suffocated on the ball, and the opponents half should have appeared like an oasis within the desert for the German facet. Extra sloppy play practically noticed Griezmann rating a second within the 14th minute.

Dortmund merely couldn’t join with the ahead line. Each time they did break the Atlético Madrid midfield, the ball merely didn’t stick and would come proper again at them. A little bit of nifty footwork and a low pushed cross from Jadon Sancho on the half-hour mark introduced Dortmund a nook, and a primary try, however simply two minutes later the hosts had doubled their lead.

Atléti discovered themselves in on objective but once more, because of a mix-up between two Dortmund defenders. Griezmann scooped a go to Samuel Lino, who discovered himself in acres of area contained in the Borussia field. The winger made no mistake, opened his physique up, and despatched the ball into the far nook to ship the house followers wild.

From that second on; the Atlético block appeared to retreat ever so barely, and Dortmund lastly got here into the sport and created some openings. The half-time whistle blew however maybe the movement of these moments foreshadowed what could be coming within the second half, a deeper Atléti and extra ball for the guests.

Dortmund definitely began the second interval brighter than the primary, not that it could have been tough. Niclas Füllkrug felt he may need deserved a penalty when he was pulled down within the field. In all honesty it was the sort of incident that may end in a free-kick exterior the world, however VAR deemed it authorized.

Julian Brandt got here on for Dortmund on the break, and Sébastien Haller entered the fray with half-hour of regular time left to play. The stability of play evened up however the sport handed with out main incident for some time, suiting the house facet. Then Samuel Lino was denied on the seventy fifth minute. He someway snuck into the again submit space fully unmarked to satisfy an Atléti free-kick, however Dortmund keeper Kobel made one other positive save by smothering the forwards close-range effort.

Following a golden probability to go 3-0 up got here the sucker punch. Dortmund broke via the center and subsequent factor you recognize the Ivorian ahead Haller turned within the field and made no mistake, firing the free ball previous Jan Oblak. It was an enormous objective for Dortmund and their followers knew it, the momentum of the tie modified instantly.

In a powerful encounter Ángel Correa may need thought he was about to make the rating 3-1, however Mats Hummels snuck a toe to the ball simply because the Argentinian was about to drag the set off. Seconds later, Dortmund hit the bar, it was an enthralling end to the sport after a comparatively quiet second-half.

Lastly, Julian Brandt, with the final contact of the sport, struck the Spanish bar as soon as once more, his header practically salvaged a powerful draw for Dortmund. This was really a sport of two halves, and Borussia confirmed within the latter levels of the match that while on the front-foot, they’re able to inflicting actual harm to this Atlético facet.

Coming into the primary leg in Madrid on Wednesday night time, you felt the house facet would wish to come back away with a big benefit. 2-0 regarded on the playing cards, it may have been extra, however Dortmund’s capability to chop that lead in half is completely huge for the stability of this tie. The Germans will probably be quietly assured that they will flip a single objective deficit round with their house help subsequent week.

There may be nonetheless 90 minutes left of this fixture, and the prize to play for is completely gargantuan; a spot within the European Cup semi-finals.