Match Report
Hitting the post, missing a penalty - BVB makes round of 16 after 0-0 result
Boris Rupert reporting
After an uneventful first half, in which Borussia had everything under control at the back but were only a threat from a distance up front, their offensive game livened up in the second half. Even so, Guirassy missed a penalty (59), Reyna hit the post (69) and Can was just offside when he headed the ball into the net (73).
The scenario:
The Black&Yellows went into the game with a 3-0 advantage after their first meeting with Sporting Lisbon, and had come out on top in every one of their three previous knockout games against teams from Portugal. Sporting had previously come up against a German team seven times in the knockouts, and had gone out every time without winning a single game (four draws, ten defeats).
Personnel matters:
Borussia Dortmund went into the game with the same starting eleven as they had in the first game against Sporting Lisbon. Süle, who had played against Bochum, was replaced by Ryerson. Bensebaini returned to the squad.
Tactics:
The squad and the strategy remained the same: the Black&Yellows used a 4-2-3-1 formation, with left back Svensson moving up into midfield when BVB were in possession. Sporting had five new players and also changed their tactics, playing five at the back, focussing strongly on tracking players (Gittens was always being marked by two Sporting players), and changing to a 3-4-2-1 formation in the build-up with a selective high press.
Match and analysis:
Both teams were holding back at the start of the game. BVB did have the upper hand in one respect in the first half (55% possession), but posed no goal-scoring threat apart from the shots taken from a distance by Sabitzer (9, 25, 45). In general, there wasn't enough speed or depth from the Black&Yellows, who created their best chance of the first half in the 25th minute when Adeyemi pulled the ball back for Sabitzer to run onto. Sabitzer took a shot from 16 metres away, forcing Rui Silva to parry. Defensively, the teams were certainly very quick off the mark.
The second big chance also came from a shot taken from a distance. Following a deflected corner, Adeyemi got to the ball and took a powerful shot on the turn, but Rui Silva was there again (49). Three minutes later, Adeyemi crossed the ball in from the right, and this time Svensson took a shot from a distance - which was powerful and precise -, but once again the Sporting goalkeeper let nothing get past him. Not even a penalty: after an opening pass by Schlotterbeck, Adeyemi broke through and was taken out by Rui Costa. Guirassy took the penalty, but his flat shot was blocked by the keeper at the left corner (59).
Seconds after being brought on, Reyna - after Beier had done a good job to create space for him - hit the post of the Lisbon goal (69). Shortly after, Can scored from a header set up by Ryerson's free kick, but the offside flag went up (73).
Outlook:
The draw for the round of 16 will be on Friday at midday (from 12:00 CET). BVB will be playing again on Saturday at home against Union Berlin. Kick-off is at 18:30 CET.
Teams & Goals
UEFA Champions League, Knockout Phase, Second Game of Play-offs
Wednesday, 19 February 2025, 18:45 CET
BORUSSIA DORTMUND – SPORTING C.P. 0-0 (0-0)
Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Ryerson, Can, Schlotterbeck, Svensson – Sabitzer (Anton, 89), Groß – Adeyemi (Bensebaini, 89), Brandt (Reyna, 69), Gittens (Beier, 46) – Guirassy (Duranville, 69)
Sporting Lisbon: Rui Silva – Quaresma, Diomande, Inacio (Moreira, 55) – Ricardo Esgaio, Simoes (Debast, 40), Hjulmand (Brito, 46), Matheus Reis – Quenda (Anjos, 67), Biel (Araujo, 55) – Harder
Bench: Meyer, Lotka, Campbell, Chukwuemeka, Couto, Özcan, Süle – Callai, Israel, Fresneda, Felicissimo, Mendonca, Nel, Silva
Goals: none
Incidents of note: Guirassy penalty saved by goalkeeper following foul (Rui Costa against Adeyemi) (59)
Corners: 6-2 (2-1 at half time), Chances: 6-1 (1-0)
Referee: Massa (Italy), Yellow card: Sabitzer
Spectators: 80,300, Weather: dry, 1 degree Celsius