Atalanta Vs Dortmund — Atalanta win 4-1 as stoppage‑time penalty sends Italians through 4-3 on aggregate

Atalanta completed a remarkable comeback, beating Borussia Dortmund 4-1 on the night to win 4-3 on aggregate after overturning a 2-0 deficit from the first leg. The match was decided in the 98th minute when Lazar Samardzic converted a stoppage‑time penalty to send the hosts into the Champions League last 16.

Atalanta Vs Dortmund: referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez awards penalty after VAR review

The tie reached its decisive moment in the third of three minutes of stoppage time. With the scores level on aggregate, Ramy Bensebaini’s reckless high boot caught Nikola Krstovic on the head inside the penalty area following a cross that arrived after a mistake by visiting keeper Gregor Kobel. A VAR check for a penalty and a possible red card brought referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez to the pitchside monitor; he then awarded the spot‑kick and dismissed Bensebaini with a second yellow card. Lazar Samardzic kept his composure to strike the penalty into the roof of the net with the last kick of the game, completing a 98th‑minute finish that sent Atalanta through 4-3 on aggregate and into a last‑16 tie against either Arsenal or Bayern Munich, with the draw scheduled for Friday.

Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Zappacosta spark early comeback

Atalanta began the recovery from the outset. Lorenzo Bernasconi supplied a low cross from the left and Gianluca Scamacca tapped in at the far post in the fifth minute to give the hosts an early lifeline after they had lost the first leg 2-0 in Germany. On the stroke of half‑time Davide Zappacosta’s shot from outside the box took a deflection on its way into the net, leveling the tie on aggregate and setting up a tense second half.

Mario Pasalic header and Karim Adeyemi response swung momentum

Mario Pasalic headed home at the far post to make it 3-0 for the hosts, a strike that came in the 57th minute and appeared to give Atalanta control. Dortmund fought back through a substitute: Karim Adeyemi’s curling effort in the 75th minute found the top corner and pulled the visitors level on aggregate at 3-3, opening the contest again and pushing the match toward extra time before the late drama.

Goalkeepers, big saves and a gifted chance before the final whistle

Both keepers had defining moments. Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel was the busier goalkeeper in the first half, twice denying Nicola Zalewski, while Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi produced a crucial save when he tipped Serhou Guirassy’s low drive wide in the 49th minute. Maximilian Beier for Dortmund struck the post in the 53rd minute. In the closing seconds, Kobel failed to clear, leaving a cross that led to the challenge which produced the penalty.

Player and captain reactions: Sead Kolasinac and Emre Can

Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac described a "whirlwind of emotions" in the final seconds and noted that all regular penalty takers had been substituted before Lazar Samardzic stepped up and converted brilliantly, a comment he made to DAZN. Dortmund captain Emre Can reflected on his side’s errors, saying that making many individual mistakes makes progression difficult and that, while unlucky at times, his team did not deserve to advance.

Champions League roundup: PSG edge Monaco, Galatasaray fend off Juventus

Elsewhere in the round‑of‑16 playoffs, Paris Saint‑Germain reached the last 16 after a 2-2 draw that produced a 5-4 aggregate victory over 10‑man Monaco; PSG had won the first leg 3-2 away. Maghnes Akliouche scored to give Monaco the lead on the night and level the tie on aggregate, and Mamadou Coulibaly’s second‑half sending‑off for the visitors proved the catalyst for Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to score for PSG, although Jordan Teze made it 2-2 late on. Désiré Doué, who had scored twice in the first leg, said the end of the match felt stressful and underlined the importance of not conceding. Galatasaray also progressed, fending off a rousing fightback by 10‑man Juventus as Victor Osimhen struck in extra time to help the Turkish side to a 7-5 aggregate victory.

The night finished with home fans at Atalanta wildly celebrating an extraordinary reversal of fortune, and the Italian side now await the round‑of‑16 draw that will determine whether they face Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the next phase.