Borussia Dortmund through to last 16 of the UEFA Champions League with Lazio draw
Raphael Guerreiro’s first-half goal was cancelled out by a penalty by former Borussia Dortmund striker Ciro Immobile, but the 1-1 draw was enough for BVB to secure their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Lazio
Goals: 1-0 Guerreiro (44’), 1-1 Immobile (67’, pen)
There was just a point between Dortmund and Lazio at the top of Group F before the game, but it was the leaders who took control of the match, with captain Marco Reus playing in a false 9 position and frequently looking to burst from deep. Thorgan Hazard fired a shot over, but it was the visitors who came closest after Sergej Milinkovic-Savic teed up Francesco Acerbi, but he contrived to miss the target from only a couple of yards out. Hazard and Reus then both went close again; the former’s shot parried by ex-Bayern Munich goalkeeper Pepe Reina before the skipper teased the rebound agonisingly wide. Dortmund did have their lead on the stroke of half-time, though, when Thomas Delaney picked up a Reina clearance in midfield and set the forward away. Three passes later and Guerreiro was onto Hazard’s well-weighted through ball and poked it into the Lazio net.
Gio Reyna and Hazard both had efforts early into the second half, but BVB then had to contend with a spell of Lazio pressure. Immobile forced a good low save out of Roman Bürki, but the former Dortmund striker did have his goal on his return to the Signal Iduna Park when he converted from the penalty spot after Milinkovic-Savic went down under a challenge from Nico Schulz. Immobile came close to a winner against his former club, but Bürki was equal to the effort from 18 yards. The point was enough to ensure progress from Group F for Lucien Favre’s side. Club Brugge’s win at home to Zenit Saint Petersburg means top spot is still on the line when Dortmund to go Russia next Tuesday.
Match stats
- Guerreiro scored his first Champions League goal of the season and the seventh of his career. His last one came just short of two years ago against Monaco, on 11 December 2018.
- Hazard provided his first Champions League assist since November 2016, when he was still a Borussia Mönchengladbach player.
- Immobile has scored in all four of his Champions League games at the Signal Iduna Park – three times for Dortmund, now once for Lazio.
- Dortmund are into the last 16 of the Champions League for the seventh time in their last eight participation in the competition.
- BVB have scored 38 goals in 16 competitive matches this season.
Line-ups
Dortmund: Bürki - Piszczek, Akanji, Hummels - Morey, Bellingham (Witsel 88’), Delaney, Guerreiro (Schulz 62’) - Reyna, Reus (c) (Sancho 76’), Hazard (Brandt 76’)
Unused subs: Unbehaun, Hitz, Zagadou, Dahoud, Moukoko, Passlack
Out: Can (bruised foot), Haaland (muscular), Meunier (calf), Reinier (not included), Schmelzer (knee), Zagadou (knee)
Coach: Lucien Favre
Lazio: Reina - Patric, Acerbi, Hoedt - Marusic, Milinkovic-Savic (Caicedo 80’), Leiva (Akpa-Akpro 70’), Luis Alberto (Escalante 80’), Fares (Lazzari 70’) - Immobile (c), Correa (Pereira 70’)
Unused subs: Strakosha, Alia, Luis Felipe, Anderson, Parolo, Radu, Cataldi
Out: Muriqi (knock)
Coach: Simone Inzaghi
As it happened
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