Atalanta Vs Dortmund: Atalanta win 4-1 after stoppage‑time penalty to reach last 16
In a dramatic turnaround in the play‑off tie, atalanta vs dortmund finished 4-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate as Atalanta converted a stoppage‑time penalty to reach the Champions League last 16.
Atalanta rip the tie open with early goal and second‑half control
Atalanta, who had trailed 2-0 from the first leg in Germany, needed an early goal and got it in the fifth minute when Lorenzo Bernasconi sent a low cross in from the left and Gianluca Scamacca tapped in at the far post. Davide Zappacosta then made it 2-0 on the stroke of half‑time when his shot from outside the box was deflected into the net off Ramy Bensebaini, and Mario Pasalic headed home at the far post in the 57th minute to make it 3-0.
Atalanta Vs Dortmund — late drama as Dortmund fight back then collapse
Dortmund substitute Karim Adeyemi curled a 75th‑minute strike into the top corner to bring the visitors level on the night and open the tie up, but the match turned again in stoppage time. The decisive moment came in the third of three minutes of stoppage time as extra time loomed, and the contest was settled with the last kick of the game.
How the penalty was awarded and the red card shown
Gregor Kobel failed to clear, gifting Atalanta an attacking opportunity; Nikola Krstovic stooped to meet the cross and Ramy Bensebaini flicked out a leg backwards with his studs catching Krstovic on the head, leaving him bleeding. After a VAR check for a penalty and a possible red card, referee Jose Maria Sanchez Martinez went to the pitchside monitor, awarded the spot‑kick and dismissed Bensebaini with a second yellow card. Lazar Samardzic then converted the penalty — sending the ball into the roof of the net and beating Gregor Kobel — in the 98th minute to complete the 4-1 victory and the 4-3 aggregate win.
Goalkeeping, near‑misses and emotions on the night
Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi made a key save when he tipped Serhou Guirassy's low drive wide in the 49th minute, while Maximilian Beier hit the post for Dortmund in the 53rd minute. Dortmund's Gregor Kobel had earlier twice denied Nicola Zalewski in the first half, but errors and individual moments swung the tie. Home fans celebrated wildly at the final whistle as Atalanta completed the comeback.
Reactions and what comes next
Atalanta will now face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the round of 16, with the draw scheduled for Friday. Defender Sead Kolasinac said he went through "a whirlwind of emotions" in the final seconds: "When the referee decided for a penalty, I didn’t know who would take it. All our penalty takers had been substituted, but luckily Lazar converted brilliantly. " Dortmund captain Emre Can reflected on his side's mistakes: "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. "
Other last‑16 places confirmed
Elsewhere in the Champions League play‑offs, Paris Saint‑Germain 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 victory. 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, Mamadou Coulibaly was sent off in the second half, and Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored for PSG before Jordan Teze made it 2-2 late on. Désiré Doué 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, fending off 10‑man Juventus as Victor Osimhen struck in extra time to help earn a 7-5 aggregate victory.
Confirmed next steps: Atalanta await the round‑of‑16 draw on Friday to learn whether they will face Arsenal or Bayern Munich.
