By AFP
A third-minute goal from Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus’ late strike sent Borussia Dortmund through to the Champions League last eight with a 2-0 win on Wednesday, sealing a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Level at 1-1 after the last-16 first leg in the Netherlands, Sancho wasted no time in putting Dortmund ahead at the Westfalenstadion with a low shot from outside the area — his first Champions League goal since November 2021.
Dortmund were shaky despite the early lead and needed a fair share of luck and some poor PSV finishing to progress, with Hirving Lozano’s 53rd-minute effort hitting the post.
PSV pushed forwards in stoppage time looking for an equaliser but instead gave away another goal, as Isaac Babadi’s unfortunate slip allowed Reus to seal the win.
“It feels very nice,” said Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. “We didn’t let them breathe in the first 30 minutes.
“I’m now looking forward to facing a very big opponent in the next round.”
The 1997 winners did enough against an outclassed PSV but will face stiffer challenges as they return to the quarter-final draw, to be held on Friday, for the first time since 2021.
“We’re happy about the first half, a bit frustrated about the second but were pleased that we’re going further in the competition,” Dortmund coach Edin Terzic told DAZN.
PSV were left to rue several missed chances, including when Luuk de Jong blazed over a golden opportunity deep into injury time.
“(We) had the game in our grip but just couldn’t score a goal,” said PSV boss Peter Bosz, who endured a disappointing six-month spell in charge of Dortmund in 2017.
“The Champions League is of course the highest level. We were so close. It hurts, but that’s how it is.”
Dortmund, 20 points behind Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten leaders Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and out of the German Cup, came into the game knowing the Champions League was their only hope of lifting silverware this season.
Despite their poor domestic campaign, Dortmund have impressed in Europe, emerging first from a group featuring Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Newcastle.
