Dortmund’s Victory Earns Spot in Champions League Knockouts
Borussia Dortmund solidified their place in the Champions League’s last 16 on Tuesday with a 3-1 victory over AC Milan, a team now facing the looming threat of early elimination.
An early penalty converted by Marco Reus, along with second-half goals from English teenager Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Karim Adeyemi, ensured Dortmund’s advancement to the next round with a match to spare.
Despite facing domestic criticism, Dortmund leads Group F with 10 points after securing their third consecutive win in the competition. The victory came against a struggling and injury-ridden Milan side that sits at the bottom of the group with five points.
Milan, semifinalists in the previous season, faced an early setback when returning striker Olivier Giroud failed to convert an early penalty. However, they managed to equalize through Samuel Chukwueze, capitalizing on a moment of brilliance down the right flank.
Although Milan trails second-placed PSG by two points, the competitive nature of the group, coupled with Newcastle’s draw at Paris Saint-Germain, provides Milan with a chance to progress. Milan must win at Newcastle, while hoping for a PSG defeat at Dortmund in the final round of matches next month.
The match kicked off energetically, with Milan missing a chance to take the lead early on when a low cross eluded both Chukwueze and Giroud. Giroud’s penalty miss in the seventh minute proved costly, as Reus converted a penalty later in the half.
Despite Milan’s efforts to score, the yellow wall of Dortmund’s defense held firm until Chukwueze’s skillful play resulted in a superb finish. Calabria missed a prime opportunity to put Milan ahead just before halftime.
Bynoe-Gittens, scoring his first Champions League goal, and Adeyemi, with his first goal of the season, secured Dortmund’s passage to the next round in the second half. Milan’s attempts to rally were thwarted, with Jovic hitting the post and Fuellkrug rattling the bar.
Milan now faces the challenge of rediscovering their scoring prowess to join Dortmund in the next round.
