Chelsea v Borussia Dortmund LIVE result: Champions League score as Sterling and Havertz send Chelsea through
Chelsea 2-0 Borussia Dortmund (agg: 2-1): The Blues impressed and, after early frustration, Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz sent them into the quarter finals
A first-half goal from Raheem Sterling and a controversial penalty by Kai Havertz overturned a first-leg deficit and propelled Chelsea into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund.
Just as they had in Germany three weeks ago when Dortmund won 1-0, 2021 champions Chelsea squandered chance after chance in the first half, with Germany’s Havertz hitting the post. But in the 43rd minute, Ben Chilwell crossed into the box and found England teammate Sterling.
Sterling air-kicked his first effort, then sidestepped Marco Reus and sent his second high into the net to put the teams level on aggregate.
Early in the second half a Chilwell cross smacked into the outstretched hand of defender Marius Wolf and Dutch referee Danny Makkelie gave the penalty after being called to the VAR screen. Havertz hit the keeper’s left-hand post and play resumed for a few seconds until VAR alerted Makkelie that Dortmund players had encroached into the area. Havertz retook the kick and sent the ball the same way but this time it squeezed inside the post for a 53rd-minute strike.
It was Dortmund’s first defeat following wins in their previous 10 matches and a boost for Chelsea, who have struggled for form under Graham Potter since the turn of the year. Relive all the action as Chelsea host Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last 16:
Raheem Sterling can inspire Champions League comeback, says Graham Potter
Raheem Sterling’s Champions League experience can be the difference for Chelsea when they face Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday, according to Graham Potter.
The Bundesliga side lead 1-0 from the first leg in Germany, a match in which Potter’s side dominated but failed to make the most of a host of chances.
The England midfielder missed the game at Signal Iduna Park but has made a noticeable difference to Chelsea’s attack since returning from knee and hamstring injuries that forced him to miss most of January and February.
The Blues beat Leeds 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, their first victory since January 15, with Sterling’s direct running and deliveries from the left wing a key factor in transforming their forward play following defeats to Tottenham and Southampton.
Raheem Sterling can inspire Champions League comeback, says Graham Potter
Chelsea trail Borussia Dortmund 1-0 going into the second leg of their last-16 tie.
Who’s in better form?
Borussia Dortmund.
They are second on goal difference behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and travel to London looking to record their 12th consecutive victory in all competitions.
In comparision Chelsea are hoping to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since October.
Loftus-Cheek on building momentum
Ruben Loftus-Cheek says that Chelsea have the ability and the skills to go on a winning run.
“We got the win against Leeds, we could win against Dortmund and then just keep winning.” he said, “We have the quality of players and the manager to do that.
“We understand we’ve been mediocre, and we’re not just accepting it. We’re hurting from the losses and the draws, because it’s not in us as Chelsea players, so we’re fighting our hardest to turn it around.
“Of course you’re going to get criticism, especially at Chelsea, but we don’t expect to stay in that poor run of form. We expect as players to stick together and come through it.”
Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund team changes
Graham Potter makes just two changes to the Chelsea team that defeated Leeds at the weekend. Benoit Badiashile has not been included in the Champions League squad so Marc Cucurella replaces him in the back line.
Reece James has also proved his fitness so comes in as the right wing-back to replace Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
There are also a couple of changes to the Dortmund team that defeated Chelsea in the first leg. Alexander Meyer takes the place of injured goalkeeper Gregor Kobel whilst Marco Reus returns ahead of previous matchwinner Karim Adeyemi who is also injured.
Graham Potter offers update on N’Golo Kante’s return to Chelsea
Graham Potter will not hurry N’Golo Kante back into action at Chelsea as he continues his recovery from the hamstring injury that has kept him out since August.
The midfielder is not in contention to be involved when the Blues face Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League last-16 second leg on Tuesday, though the manager confirmed he has taken part in two full training sessions with the first team.
Kante has been unavailable to Potter since his appointment in September, and had surgery in October on the injury he sustained during Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham seven months ago.
The team’s form has suffered badly in the absence of their most influential midfielder, with Saturday’s 1-0 win against Leeds only the third they have recorded in their last 15.
Graham Potter offers update on N’Golo Kante’s return to Chelsea
Kante has been unavailable to Potter since his appointment in September
Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund line-ups
Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Fofana, Koulibaly, Cucurella, James, Kovacic, Fernandez, Chilwell, Sterling, Havertz, Felix
Borussia Dortmund XI: Meyer, Wolf, Sule, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro, Can, Brandt, Bellingham, Ozcan, Reus, Haller
What happened in the first leg?
The first leg was an open affair between the teams at Signal Iduna Park. Copius chances were created and there was a great back and forth to the tempo of the match.
Chelsea dominated possession and had the better chances but Borussia Dortmund earned the win thanks to a fantastic breakaway goal from Karim Adeyemi just after the hour mark.
The German side now lead 1-0 on aggregate leaving Chelsea with work to do to get back in this tie.
Loftus-Cheek says Chelsea ready ‘to rise to the challenge’ against Dortmund
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been speaking ahead of Chelsea’s crucial Champions League tie this evening and says that the team will leave their indifferent league form behind and rise to the challenge.
“You change from the Premier League to the Champions League and it’s a complete shift in your mind,” he said.
“It might be a mental thing. Sometimes us players playing for Chelsea, when the pressure’s on in these big, big games in the Champions League, we always seem to rise to it.
“Anything can happen in the Champions League. We definitely think we can win on Tuesday. We have a big game coming up and we expect from ourselves to rise to that.”
Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund
The stage is set for another European night at Stamford Bridge. Can Chelsea overcome their one goal deficit and progress to the Champions League quarter-finals?
Nearly 20,000 Liverpool fans to receive Uefa refund after Champions League final chaos
Uefa has announced that it will refund Liverpool supporters impacted by the chaos at last season’s Champions League final in Paris.
The encounter between the Merseyside club and Real Madrid at the Stade de France was marred by significant trouble outside the ground, with kick off delayed by more than half-an-hour.
A report comissioned by Uefa found that the governing body bore “primary responsibility” for organisational and safety failings at the final.
The organisation has now confirmed that all 19,618 Liverpool fans who bought tickets from the club’s allocation are eligible for a refund.
20,000 Liverpool fans to receive Uefa refund after Paris final chaos
An investigation recently found that Uefa bore ‘primary responsibility’ for the trouble that marred the final in Paris
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