Atalanta Vs Dortmund — atalanta vs dortmund: Italians overturn two-goal deficit to reach last 16
Atalanta completed a dramatic turnaround in the play-offs, beating Borussia Dortmund 4-1 to win 4-3 on aggregate after a stoppage-time penalty. The atalanta vs dortmund tie swung throughout the match and was decided with the last kick when Lazar Samardzic converted from the spot to send the hosts into the Champions League last 16.
How the decisive penalty unfolded: VAR, a dismissal and the last kick
The match was settled in stoppage time when Ramy Bensebaini caught Nikola Krstovic on the head in the box with a reckless high boot as Krstovic stooped to meet a cross following a mistake by visiting keeper Gregor Kobel. Kobel had failed to clear and gifted Atalanta the attacking opportunity. After a VAR check for a penalty and a possible red card, referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez was summoned to the screen and awarded the spot-kick while dismissing Bensebaini with a second yellow card. Lazar Samardzic then kept his composure and converted the penalty into the roof of the net with the last kick of the game, sending Atalanta through 4-3 on aggregate.
Early spark: Scamacca, Bernasconi and Zappacosta set the tone
Atalanta knew they needed an early goal after losing the first leg 2-0 in Germany, and they got it in the fifth minute. Lorenzo Bernasconi sent a low cross in from the left and former West Ham forward Gianluca Scamacca was perfectly placed to tap in. The hosts added a second on the stroke of half-time when Davide Zappacosta’s shot from outside the box took a deflection off Ramy Bensebaini on its way into the net to level the tie on aggregate.
Middle period swings: Pasalic header and Adeyemi’s curling reply
The momentum kept shifting after the break. Mario Pasalic headed home at the far post in the 57th minute to put Atalanta 3-0 on the night and 3-2 up on aggregate. Dortmund introduced substitute Karim Adeyemi, who replied in the 75th minute with a curling effort into the top corner to level the overall score at 3-3 and push the tie toward extra time before the late drama.
Between those moments there were several near-misses: Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi made a crucial save when he tipped Serhou Guirassy’s low drive wide in the 49th minute, Maximilian Beier’s effort hit the post in the 53rd minute, and Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel was noted for being busiest in the first half, twice denying Nicola Zalewski.
Immediate reaction: emotions, substitutions and what the players said
Home fans celebrated wildly at the final whistle after witnessing what was described as an amazing display of desire and determination. Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac said he went through "a whirlwind of emotions" in the final seconds and noted that all the usual penalty takers had been substituted, so it was fortunate that Lazar Samardzic converted brilliantly under pressure. Dortmund captain Emre Can reflected on his team's mistakes, saying, "If you make so many individual errors, it's going to be difficult to progress... we were very unlucky, but to be honest we didn't deserve to advance. "
What comes next: last 16 draw and wider Champions League results
Atalanta’s victory sends them into the last 16, where they will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich; the draw is scheduled for Friday. The night also produced notable results elsewhere in the competition. Paris Saint-Germain, the holders, edged out 10-man Monaco to reach the last 16 after a 2-2 draw that gave Luis Enrique's side a 5-4 aggregate win. PSG had won 3-2 away in the first leg. Maghnes Akliouche scored to give Monaco the lead on the night and level the tie on aggregate before Mamadou Coulibaly’s second-half sending-off for Monaco proved the catalyst for Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to score for PSG; Jordan Teze later made it 2-2 on the night.
Désiré Doué, who had scored twice for PSG in the first leg, said: "At the end, when they scored, we felt stressed and it was scary. The objective is to dominate the whole match, but you also have to know how to come back from behind. Next time, we'll try not to concede a goal, that's important. " Galatasaray also advanced after fending off 10-man Juventus, with Victor Osimhen striking in extra time to help the Turkish side to a 7-5 aggregate victory.
