Gregor Kobel saved a penalty as Borussia Dortmund reached the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League round of 16, after drawing their penultimate group game with Manchester City on Erling Haaland’s return to the Signal Iduna Park.

Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Manchester City

Needing only a point from their final two fixtures in Group G to qualify for the knockouts, Dortmund acquitted themselves as if it was win or bust. The Black-Yellows were superior in all areas throughout the first half, and arguably should have been at least a goal up at the halfway stage. Julian Brandt sent a free-kick into the stanchion, before former Arminia Bielefeld goalkeeper Stefan Ortega denied Karim Adeyemi’s low strike from a tight angle. BVB continued to ask all the questions as Gio Reyna tested Ortega from 18 yards. Youssoufa Moukoko spurned the clearest opening soon after, when when he side-footed Adeyemi’s low cross wide with the goal at his mercy. The 17-year-old then shot too close to Ortega on his weaker right foot, having been played into the box by Adeyemi.

With the expertly marshalled Haaland withdrawn at the break, City survived another scare when Nathan Ake misjudged a searching Reyna cross, only to put in a strong recovery challenge on Adeyemi at the back post. Dortmund were caught out defensively for the first time approaching the hour as Riyad Mahrez won a penalty for a foul against Emre Can, but Kobel guessed right to beat the Algerian’s spot-kick away. Kobel was at it again soon after with quick-fire diving saves to thwart ex-Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gündogan and Julian Alvarez. Group leaders City enjoyed long spells of possession in the closing stages, but could not find a way through midfield general Jude Bellingham and the well-drilled banks of black and yellow.

Match stats

• Dortmund have nine points from five Group G games, and cannot be caught by Sevilla.
• BVB have lost just two of their previous 15 Champions League matches on home soil (W8, D5, L2).
• Bellingham has five goals in 21 Champions League appearances - more than any English teenager in competition history.
• The Black-Yellows are so far the only team to have scored against Man City in Europe this term.
• Haaland scored 62 goals in 67 Bundesliga games for BVB, and 86 from 89 in all competitions. His return in the Champions League was 15 in 13 games.
• Manuel Akanji and Kevin De Bruyne also played in the Bundesliga, the former making 119 appearances for BVB.

Teams

Dortmund: Kobel - Süle, Hummels (c), Schlotterbeck - Adeyemi (Malen 72'), Can, Bellingham, Hazard (Wolf 82') - Brandt, Reyna (Papadopoulos 86') - Moukoko (Modeste 82')
Unused subs: Meyer, Unbehaun, Passlack, Rothe, Coulibaly
Out: Bynoe-Gittens (shoulder), Dahoud (shoulder), Haller (testicular cancer), Meunier (broken cheekbone), Morey (knee), Özcan (suspended), Reus (fitness)
Coach: Edin Terzic

Man City: Ortega - Stones, Dias, Ake, Joao Cancelo (Akanji 46') - Gündogan (c), Rodri - Mahrez (Palmer 88'), Haaland (Bernardo Silva 46'), Alvarez, Foden (Grealish 81')
Unused subs: Ederson, Carson, Laporte, De Bruyne, Lewis, Wilson-Esbrand
Out: Gomez (suspended), Mendy (suspended), Phillips (shoulder), Stones (hamstring), Walker (groin)
Coach: Pep Guardiola

As it happened!

Want more Bundesliga Action?

GET THE UPDATES!