Batshuayi with stoppage-time winner as BVB come from behind to win 3-2

Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reporting

The 62,500 fans at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK watched BVB dominate the opening half, creating several chances and deservedly taking the lead through the outstanding Schürrle on the half-hour mark. But Atalanta mounted a resurgence at the start of the second half, turning the match on its head with a two-goal salvo from Ilicic (51, 56). Barely nine minutes had passed when Batshuayi restored parity for the hosts and, with the game on tenterhooks in the closing stages, BVB wrapped up a deserved win when the Belgian grabbed his second of the night in stoppage time (90+1).

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The scenario:
Borussia Dortmund qualified for the UEFA Europa League after finishing third in their UEFA Champions League pool, while Atalanta won UEFA Europa League group E without losing a single match. The two clubs had never met before in European competition. Borussia Dortmund were winless in their previous eight international games (two draws, six defeats) and had lost three of their last four European matches in front of their own fans.

Personnel matters:
BVB were without Kagawa (infection/ankle), Guerreiro (muscular problems), Philipp (rehabilitation training), Sancho (ankle ligament injury), Yarmolenko (foot tendon injury), Durm (injury to lateral collateral ligament in ankle), Rode (rehab) and Akanji (ineligible). Peter Stöger made two changes to the starting XI that beat Hamburg on Saturday, bringing in Castro to replace Kagawa and Sokratis for the ineligible Akanji. Atalanta were without the injured Rizzo.

Tactics:
Borussia lined up in the same 4-2-3-1 formation they deployed against Hamburg. Weigl and Castro formed the defensive midfield duo, with Reus as the central attacking midfielder in the hole just behind Batshuayi. Atalanta, meanwhile, opted for a 5-3-2 system. Whenever the visitors regained possession, the full-backs and central midfielder Cristante looked to advance forward.

The match & analysis:
The game had a knockout feel about it from the start. Both teams looked to get forward – BVB did so slightly more than their Italian visitors – and created a spate of chances in the opening half. The first clear-cut opportunity fell to the Black & Yellows in the sixth minute when Schürrle played a through-ball to Reus, who dragged his shot narrowly wide of the back post from a tight angle six metres out. Atalanta's first real moment of danger in front of the Dortmund goal came six minutes later after Sokratis had put the ball behind for a corner with Cristante preparing to shoot. The set-piece was lofted in towards the back post, where the unmarked Caldara had a free header but was unable to change the flight of the ball and steer it towards goal (13).

The game gathered momentum with each passing minute, with Gomez firing narrowly over from 16 metres (19) before Batshuayi struck an effort from the edge of the box that was saved by Berisha (22). Two minutes later the Belgian held the ball up in the box and backheeled it to Reus, whose cutback from the byline sailed agonisingly behind Pulisic (24). But BVB's standout performer was Schürrle. The left-winger hit the outside of the post on the 17-minute mark with a slightly deflected shot from 18 metres out, before being denied by Berisha with a shot from the edge of the box 11 minutes later (28). But the 27-year-old finally got the reward for his strong performance on the half-hour mark when Batshuayi won the ball and played it crossfield to Piszczek, who fizzed it in towards Schürrle near the penalty spot. Despite losing his balance, he managed to poke it past Berisha from close range for the opener (30). The Germany international had another opportunity before the break but this time Berisha made the save (41).

Batshuayi hits stoppage-time winner

Having gone in at half-time deservedly behind, Atalanta turned the game on its head within a matter of minutes after the restart. They first equalised through Ilicic – who sublimely touched down a cross from the left flank in the box and curled it into the far corner from several metres out (51) – and then took the lead from their next dangerous attack down the left wing five minutes later. The Slovenian frontman was again the scorer, slotting home into an empty net after Bürki had parried Cristante's shot from 11 metres out straight into his path (56).

But the hosts were by no means out of it! Surging into the opposition half with the ball, Schürrle found Götze who drove forward before picking out Batshuayi just outside the penalty area. The Belgian forward turned, took a couple of steps and then unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner from the edge of the box (65). Only two minutes later he almost turned provider with a brilliant flick into the path of Pulisic, but Berisha made a strong save with his foot to deny the USA international (67). Not to be deterred, BVB continued to put Atalanta under pressure in the closing stages – though they had to be wary about going all out with the Italians looking dangerous on the counter. It was not until the first minute of stoppage time that Batshuayi received a brilliant pass from Götze and slotted home the winner from seven metres (90+1).

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Prospects:
BVB are next in Bundesliga action in Mönchengladbach on Sunday (kick-off 18:00 CET). After that they will begin preparing for the return leg with Atalanta at the MAPEI Stadium in Bergamo, which will be played next Thursday (22 February, 21:05 CET).

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