Having taken a 3-0 lead against the Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon into this evening's second leg, Borussia Dortmund sealed the deal at the Signal Iduna Park and booked their place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16.
Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Sporting Lisbon
The hosts started the game with purpose, moving the ball well in the opening stages as they looked to find a way through a well-drilled Sporting defence. The Portuguese side soon grew into the game and enjoyed a spell of possession of their own, although to little effect, as the first 20 minutes saw little goalmouth action at either end. Marcel Sabitzer had the first real sight of goal for either side, unleashing a stinging effort from the edge of the box toward Rui Silva’s bottom corner, which was well saved. With a three-goal lead, Dortmund could be excused for a lack of urgency, however, this was something that the visitors also seemed to lack. The hosts’ dominance grew as the half went on, seeing them spend plenty of time in and round the Sporting box, although they found it difficult to manufacture a shooting opportunity. Sabitzer let another one fly shortly before half-time, but saw his effort go just over the bar. Dortmund went into the break content with a half through which they had cruised.
The second 45 started with much more zip, as Dortmund seized the initiative and took the game to Sporting with greater intensity. Daniel Svensson tested Silva with a bending effort from outside the area, but they couldn't find the breakthrough in the early stages. Nico Schlotterbeck then unlocked the defense with a superb pass to Karim Adeyemi, who attempted to round the onrushing keeper; his heavy touch seemed to have squandered the opportunity, but Silva’s challenge was deemed a foul, awarding Dortmund a penalty. Serhou Guirassy stepped up, only to see his low shot denied by an excellent save from Silva. Sporting’s only real chance of the half came from substitute Brito, whose powerful strike whistled just past Gregor Kobel’s post. At the other end, substitute Giovanni Reyna nearly scored with his first touch after a magnificent through ball from Maximilian Beier, but he could only strike the post from close range. Dortmund thought they had finally broken the deadlock when Emre Can found the back of the net with a header from a free-kick, only for it to be ruled offside. Neither side could find the back of the net before the final whistle blew, as Dortmund sealed their place in the round of 16.
Match stats
- Dortmund have only lost one of their last 14 home matches in the Champions League - this season's league phase defeat to Barcelona (3-2).
- Guirassy is only the third Dortmund player to have scored 10 goals in a single Champions League campaign, after Robert Lewandowski (2012/13) and Erling Haaland (2020/21).
- Julian Brandt has four assists in the 2024/25 Champions League. Only four players - including Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich and Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong - have more (all five).
- Kovač has overseen 12 Champions League matches to date (11 with Bayern). His record reads: W8, D3, L1.
- BVB have won four of their five meetings with Sporting. Their only defeat came in Portugal in 2021/22.
- Gyökeres scored seven goals in 26 Bundesliga 2 appearances for Pauli during the 2019/20 season
Teams
BVB: Kobel - Ryerson, Can (c), Schlotterbeck, Svensson - Sabitzer (Anton 90’), Groß, Adeyemi (Bensebaini 90’), Brandt (Duranville 69’), Gittens (Beier 46’) - Guirassy (Reyna 69’)
Subs: Lotka, Meyer, Süle, Yan Couto, Campbell, Chukwuemeka, Özcan
Out: Nmecha (ligament), Mané (muscle injury)
Coach: Niko Kovač
Sporting Lisbon: Silva – Esgaio, Diomande, Inácio (Moreira 56’) – Quaresma, Simões (Debast 40’), Hjulmand (Brito 46’), Reis – Quenda (Anjos 84’), Biel (Araújo 56’) – Harder
Subs: Mendonca, Callai, Nel, Fresneda, Israel, Silva, Felicíssimo
Out: Trincão (fatigue), Gyökeres (fatigue), St. Juste (muscle injury), Catamo (ankle), Morita (muscle injury), Santos (patella tendon), Bragança (ligament tear)
Coach: Rui Borges
As it happened!
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Emre Can satisfied with victory
"We didn't do more than we had to. We made it through to the next round in a controlled manner, but we also need to learn how to win these kinds of games. We're through, that's what matters. We're having a decent season in the Champions League."
© UWE KRAFT
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Niko Kovač on Dortmund's win
"It was a controlled performance. In the second half we had the missed penalty and the shot against the post from Giovanni Reyna. We should have won, but we're through at the end of the day. We're working on taking our goalscoring opportunities. I believe in the lads."
© IMAGO/Kirchner-Media/Thomas Haesler
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Full-time: Dortmund 0-0 Sporting
A dull game in Dortmund ends in a stalemate, with BVB advancing thanks to their 3-0 first-leg victory in Lisbon. The home side had the lion's share of the ball and chances, missing a penalty and hitting a post in the second period. But an overall lack of cutting edge from both was evident throughout.
© UWE KRAFT
Full-time
Three minutes added
Another 180 seconds to come.
No cutting edge
Ryerson, in space on the right of the box, drives a low cross towards the near post but there is nobody there to attack it. On second glance, Adeyemi did try to get there but was wrestled to the ground before he could. No foul given though.
Harder header saved
Sporting move it into the BVB half and it's lofted into the left side of the area. It's headed down towards the near post by an unmarked Harder, but that's exactly what it needed to be: harder. It's collected by a grateful Kobel.
Sporting go close
Esagio breaks down right right and, from the byline inside Dortmund's box, has time to pick his pass. He dinks it to the front post, where Harder awaits, but it's an awkward height and cleared behind for a corner.
So close
Duranville breaks down the right and has a free run at goal, with options to his left inside the area. He hooks a ball across goal and it's begging to be finished, but Quaresma slides in to recover and poke behind for a corner.
Goal disallowed!
Ryerson swings in a free kick from the left wing and finds Can unmarked inside the area. The skipper direct his header into the bottom left corner and runs away to celebrate. But the flag is up and replays show it was the correct decision. No goal.
Reyna hits the post!
Almost an instant impact from the freshly-introduced American. Neat play on the edge of the Sporting box ends with Beier sliding through to Reyna inside the box. The substitute's first touch sees him beat the 'keeper, but his effort strikes the right post and bounces to safety.
Adeyemi close
The home side reassert themselves, taking charge of possession and finding Adeyemi on the right of the area. The forward cuts inside his marker and shoots towards the far post but it sails wide.
Brito wide
Sporting well on top now as Brito also sends an effort whistling wide of Dortmund's right post.
Moreira shoots twice
Freshly-subbed on Moreira has two efforts at the BVB goal in quick succession. Sporting look inspired by the penalty save.
Saved!
Guirassy fires low and hard to the left. It's a solid effort but Silva lunges to save and hold onto it. Brilliant goalkeeping.
Penalty!
Schlotterbeck, deep inside the Dortmund half, sends a stunning pass through the entire Sporting team to Adeyemi, who races into the box unchallenged. The goalkeeper comes out to meet him and catches the striker. The referee points to the spot.
Dortmund pushing for a goal
Brandt dances into the area and slides across to Adeyemi, who takes a touch and tries to move along to Guirassy, but it's too crowded and Sporting recover to clear.
Superb dummy
Brandt, wide right, picks out Adeyemi on the edge of the box, but the striker cleverly dummies it. It rolls into the D, where an awaiting Svensson has a free strike at goal. His effort sails through a crowded area and towards the top right corner. But Silva gets across to deny. Excellent play.
Dortmund go close
Ryerson swings in a corner from the right but it's cleared to the edge of the area. Adeyemi reaches it first and fires a vicious low shot back towards goal. It's heading towards the bottom right corner but Silva gets down to beat it away in the nick of time.
Positive start
Substitute Beier, wide on the left, finds Brandt inside, racing towards the Sporting area. The playmaker takes a touch and goes to shoot but he runs into traffic on the edge of the box. It goes out for a corner, which is then cleared.
Kick-off!
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Half-time: Dortmund 0-0 Sporting
It's been a slow burner so far, with Dortmund dominating possession but lacking a final ball. Sporting have barely had an attack of note and seem content to merely keep the aggregate score at 0-0.
© IMAGO/Dennis Ewert/RHR-FOTO
Half-time
Two minutes added
Another 120 seconds of action to come.
Gittens heads over
Ryerson swings a dangerous ball into the area from the right of the box and Gittens, under pressure at the back post, rises highest to meet it. But he can't keep his header down and it balloons over the Sporting bar.
Must do better
A promising attack sees Brandt racing towards the Sporting box with options either side. He slides the ball right to Gittens, but the Englishman's return pass is carelessly placed behind Brandt and Sporting clear.
Poor ball from Gittens
The winger glides down the left flank and crosses but he puts too much on it and it cannons through the area and away from danger. Sporting race up the other end but their attack comes to nothing.
Guirassy shoots
The striker collects near the edge of the area, spins his defender and lets fly. His effort glances the foot a defender en route to goal and is saved by Silva.
Gittens runs into trouble
The winger beats his man down the left and races into the box. But he's confronted near the goal line before he can cross. He dithers in possession and the first man recovers to dispossess and clear.
Dortmund lacking an edge
The home side work it down the left-hand side to Groß, who cuts onto his right foot and swings a cross towards the far post. But it sails over his team-mates and into the hands of Silva.
Dangerous from Adeyemi
Adeyemi, out near the right corner flag, cuts infield and swings a cross towards the near post, but it's just beyond the reach of Groß. Silva clutches.
Sabitzer lets fly
Schlotterbeck sends Adeyemi flying down the right flank with a searching pass. The forward reaches it near the corner flag, before teeing up Sabitzer, waiting in the inside-right channel. The Austrian strikes from the edge of the area and it's sailing towards the left corner before Silva intercepts to batter behind for a corner. Good stop.
Gittens looking sharp
Gittens waves his way towards the left side of the Sporting box, before cutting inside and dinking a lofted pass over the defence, but Guirassy can't reach it. Silva gathers.
Hjulmand returns
The captain is waved back onto the field.
Hjulmand goes down
The skipper requires treatment after appearing to roll his ankle on the halfway line. He limps off for further analysis. He would be a major loss if he doesn't resurface.
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All under control
Dortmund, 3-0 up on aggregate and dominating possession, already look to have one foot in the next round.
© UWE KRAFT
Sporting shoot
The visitors finally have their first attempt but it's a tame one. They work the ball to the edge of the BVB area and Harder shoots low, but it lacks zip and rolls into the grateful arms of Kobel.
Gittens lively
Gittens races into the Sporting half and looks to cross from the right but it's cleared from the box. BVB recover possession and take control again.
Can looks hurt
The skipper ushers the ball out for a goal kick, under pressure from Harder. There seems to be little contact but he goes down clutching his knee in agony once the ball goes out. It looks worrying at first, but he soon pops back up and signals that he is able to play on. One to watch.
Sabitzer shoots wide
Ryerson breaks down the right wing and looks to cross, but his effort is blocked and lands at the feet of Sabitzer, stalking the edge of the area. The Austrian lets fly from the right, but his left-footed effort blazes too far wide.
Sporting sitting off
The visitors seem content to let BVB stroke the ball around and are only really engaging once the German side advance deep into their half.
Dortmund take charge
The home side play keep ball in the opening minutes, with Sporting camped deep inside their own half.
Peeeep!
Dortmund get us underway.
Kick-off!
Difficult trip
Sporting have lost 12 of their 14 away clashes against German sides in European competition, winning just twice.
Strong record
Dortmund have won four of their last five meetings with Sporting (losing once), and triumphed 1-0 in both of their last home fixtures against the Portuguese champions.
Sporting team to face Dortmund
Rui Silva - Ricardo Esgaio, Diomande, Goncalo Inacio - Quaresma, Simoes, Hjulmand (c), Matheus Reis, Geovany Quenda, Biel - Harder
Sporting subs
Callai, Israel, Debast, Fresneda, Brito, Felicissimo, Manuel Mendonca, Anjos, Maxi Araujo, Rafael Nel, Alfonso Moreira, José Silva
Dortmund team to face Sporting
Kobel - Ryerson, Can (c), Schlotterbeck, Svensson - Sabitzer, Groß, Adeyemi, Brandt, Gittens - Guirassy
Borussia Dortmund subs
Lotka, Meyer, Anton, Bensebaini, Süle, Yan Couto, Campbell, Chukwuemeka, Özcan, Reyna, Beier, Duranville.
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Dortmund team news
The hosts will be without a trio of players for this match, with Felix Nmecha, Carney Chukwuemeka and Ramy Bensebaini all unavailable. The rest of the squad, however, is in contention to feature.
© IMAGO/pepphoto / Sascha Weiz
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Sporting coach Rui Borges' thoughts
"The biggest challenge will be to maintain our intensity over a longer period of time. In the first half in Lisbon we were very intense, but that dropped off in the second half. The result was tough, but given the size of the club we will never give up and will do our best to win."
© IMAGO/Henrique Casinhas / SOPA Images
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Last 16 taking shape
Dortmund are in a strong position going into this second leg as they look to join the 12 teams already confirmed in the round of 16. They also know that Aston Villa or Lille await should they get the job done against Sporting.
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Notable absences
Both star striker Viktor Gyökeres and creative winger Francisco Trincão have not travelled with the Sporting side to Dortmund ahead of the second leg clash, despite theoretically being available for selection. Coach Rui Borges announced that this was due to a "decision on the side of the coaching team".
© RONNY HARTMANN
Strong at home, shaky away
Dortmund have lost just one of their last 15 home matches in the UEFA Champions League, (10 wins, four draws), scoring 33 goals and conceding only nine in the process. BVB have also kept a clean sheet in nine of these 14 unbeaten home games. On the other hand, Sporting have lost 14 of the 16 matches they've played away to German sides, with the exceptions being a draw in Munich in 2006, and a win in Frankfurt in 2022.
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Pascal Groß on Dortmund's game plan
"We must not make easy mistakes and concede goals because of them. At the other end, we have to score goals; they give us a good feeling, they breed confidence. That's what we saw in Lisbon. That way, you can grow into a game, which is important in our situation."
© IMAGO/Dennis Ewert/RHR-FOTO
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Niko Kovač on the second leg against Sporting
"This round isn't over yet, it's only half-time. We are here to win tomorrow. I expect a difficult game in which we will give 100%. We must not take a step backwards, but forwards. We have to believe in our strengths and take tomorrow's game very seriously. We will try to give our best and hopefully reach the next round. That's the benchmark, that's what the players are capable of - we're all convinced of that.
© IMAGO/Kirchner-Media/Thomas Haesler
Home strength
Dortmund have won three out of four competitive ties in the Champions League at home this season, only losing to Barcelona in the league phase.
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First-leg confidence
Though Dortmund boss Kovač termed his side "totally weak" in front of goal against Bochum, he and his camp will take great confidence from their second-half showing away to Sporting in the first-leg of the play-off tie. Goals from Serhou Guirassy, Pascal Groß and Karim Adeyemi guided them to victory on the night.
© PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA
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A tale of two Dortmunds
Sitting 11th in the Bundesliga standings, league form has been poor for Dortmund this season. However, with six wins out of nine competitive ties in the Champions League, another deep run in Europe certainly looks possible for BVB.
© PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA
Watch: Bochum 2-0 Borussia Dortmund - highlights
Matchday 22's surprise result came from Bochum, where Niko Kovač's side fell to a defeat against their struggling local rivals, who managed to move off the bottom of the Bundesliga standings with a huge win at home.
Welcome!
Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of the second leg of Borussia Dortmund's knockout play-off tie against Sporting Lisbon in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League, being played at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.
First-leg report
Sporting 0-3 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Guirassy 60' (assist: Brandt), 0-2 Groß 68' (assist: Guirassy), 0-3 Adeyemi 82' (assist: Brandt)
Dortmund, in just their second game under new head coach Niko Kovač, were disciplined at the back in a cagey first half in which neither side appeared willing to risk too much. Sporting had the best chance of the first 45 minutes when Maximiliano Araújo’s venomous drive from the edge of the box struck the crossbar. Conrad Harder also had a powerful effort pawed away by Gregor Kobel, while at the other end of the pitch Dortmund went closest via Jamie Gittens’ sizzling low shot from 25 yards that swerved just wide of the post. Serhou Guirassy was as his liveliest as the interval approached, firing wide from close range and having a penalty appeal waved away after being felled following a dart into the box.
The match followed a similar pattern early in the second half until a loose ball in the box fell kindly for Karim Adeyemi, whose low, first-time effort was well saved by goalkeeper Rui Silva. That sparked Dortmund into life and just moments later former Mainz defender Jeremiah St. Juste made a last-gasp tackle to prevent Adeyemi getting a shot away and Gittens also had an effort blocked. There was no stopping a brilliant, looping Guirassy header back across goal and into the net from a pinpoint Julian Brandt cross, however, giving Kovač's charges the lead. Guirassy turned provider a short while later, delivering a carbon copy of Brandt's right-wing cross for Pascal Groß to tap in at the back post. Adeyemi scored a potentially decisive third goal late on, sliding in to finish another cross from Brandt to leave Kovač's charges on the cusp of a place in the round of 16.
