Jadon Sancho opened the scoring early, and Marco Reus secured a late goal, propelling Borussia Dortmund into the Champions League quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory over PSV Eindhoven in the second leg of their last 16 clash on Wednesday. Sancho found the net in the third minute, and Reus sealed the deal with a goal in the fifth minute of added time, completing Dortmund’s 3-1 aggregate win following a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Eindhoven.
Dortmund, a finalist in 2013, advances to the quarterfinals for the first time in three years. “We’re excited about the next round as we anticipate a tough opponent,” Niclas Füllkrug remarked regarding Friday’s quarterfinal draw.
Dortmund coach Edin Terzić lamented his team’s lackluster second half performance after what he described as “the best 30 minutes of the season.” Ian Maatsen tested PSV goalkeeper Walter Benítez in the second minute before Sancho’s early goal.
Julian Brandt set up Sancho for his second consecutive goal for Dortmund with a precise shot into the bottom left corner. This goal marked Sancho’s first since returning from Manchester United, having scored against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga over the weekend.
Dortmund missed several opportunities to score more goals on Wednesday, with Füllkrug and Donyell Malen both squandering chances. PSV started to pose a threat only after 25 minutes, with Gregor Kobel making key saves to deny their attacks.
Terzić expressed frustration with PSV’s resurgence, especially after Hirving Lozano’s near-miss hitting the post. Despite the visitors’ improved performance, Reus came on as a substitute for the injured Sancho and secured the win with a late goal.
PSV captain Luuk de Jong acknowledged his team’s efforts but rued missed chances. In the other Champions League match on Wednesday, Atletico Madrid defeated Inter Milan on penalties. The quarterfinal draw includes Atletico, Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Barcelona.
