Marcel Sabitzer scored late and scored twice to send Borussia Dortmund into the Champions League semifinals with a tricky 4-2 win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
After squandering the quarter-final first leg 2-1 in Madrid, Dortmund had to come from behind twice in two games to advance 5-4 on aggregate.
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Julian Brandt opened the scoring to equalize. Sabitzer set up Ian Maatsen to give Dortmund a 2-0 lead that night.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone responded with three half-time adjustments and they all paid off. An own goal from Mats Hummels and a goal from substitute Joaquin Correa gave the Spaniards back the lead on aggregate.
Sabitzer then set up Niclas Füllkrug in the 71st minute for the German striker’s first goal after nine games on goal, and Sabitzer scored three minutes later to send Dortmund into the quarterfinals.
“It was a rollercoaster, a wonderful evening,” Dortmund manager Hans-Joachim Watzke said. “It’s not like that for Borussia Dortmund. The last time we reached the semi-finals was in 2013. It’s a wonderful day for all Borussen. “
Dortmund will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. PSG qualified for the semi-finals with a 4-1 win in Barcelona. And Dortmund coach Edin Terzic believes his side, winners of the Champions League in 1997, are now better prepared to face the French champions, after the Germans lost away from home and drew at home in the organisation stage.
“Our first game against them wasn’t good. In the second game we adapted better to them and were closer to winning. I think we’re a better team than the one we faced against them in the organizational stage,” Terzic said after the win over Atletico.
The final will be played on June 1 in London, where Dortmund lost the 2013 final 2-1 to bitter rivals Bayern Munich.
Tuesday’s victory extended Dortmund’s unbeaten run in the Champions League to 10 games.
“We were on the verge of equalising, they were superior and when a team is superior you have to congratulate them,” Simeone said.
Atletico needed the most productive goalkeeper, Jan Oblak. I denied Brandt, then Karim Adeyemi, before Brandt finally took the lead in the 34th minute, firing a hard shot over Oblak’s leg from a tricky angle after eluding former teammate Axel Witsel.
Sabitzer then combined with Maatsen, who beat two defenders and fired the ball to the far post in the 39th minute. It was the Dutch defender’s first goal in the Champions League.
But Atletico equalised just 4 minutes after the break when Hummels’ attempt to clear Mario Hermoso’s header ended in an own goal.
Correa scored a short time later when he deflected the ball. Simeone, dressed in a black suit, collapsed to the ground in frustration.
Correa made no mistake in the 64th minute when he took advantage of a rebound after his first blocked attempt.
That put the visitors back in front, but Sabitzer took an interest in both goals as Dortmund scored twice in 3 minutes to drive the home fans crazy.
“It’s a crazy game for the fans and for us. A wonderful match for us, for our fans and for all football fans around the world,” Brandt said after receiving his Man of the Match award.
“Now it’s going to be very serious against Paris. We played well against them at home in the organisation phase, but not much away from home. We have to do better now and, of course, triumph in the final. “
For striker Niclas Fullkrug, scorer of the goal, the Champions League semi-finals will be a new experience.
“I’ve never played at this stage and I’m very proud to be in the semi-finals of the Champions League with my team,” Fullkrugg said. “Things will be different for Paris than in the organizational phase. “
Information from Reuters and Associated Press used in this story.