Atletico Madrid secured a 2-1 victory against Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday. The Spanish team dominated the first half, scoring two goals, but had to endure a late fightback from the Germans. Sebastien Haller cut the deficit in the 81st minute, and Dortmund twice hit the woodwork, putting the Spaniards on the back foot. However, Atletico Madrid held on to their lead to earn a crucial win.
Man-of-the-match Antoine Griezmann acknowledged the importance of the victory, saying, “We won, which is the important thing. The end of the game doesn’t matter. It’s a shame about the goal we conceded, and that feeling of being behind defending. There were moments when we could have scored a third, but the truth is that we have suffered a lot in the second half.”
Atletico Madrid, who are looking to reach their first semi-final spot in seven years, put Dortmund under pressure with a frenetic high-pressing game from the start. Their tactics paid off after four minutes when Rodrigo De Paul intercepted a delayed pass from Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel to Ian Maatsen and slotted the ball in. Only three minutes later, Kobel pulled off a sensational one-handed save to push Axel Witsel’s backheel flick over the bar.
The Germans struggled to get the ball out of their own half, with their best chance being a low shot by Maatsen that Atletico keeper Jan Oblak pushed wide. Atletico scored again in the 32nd minute, thanks to another defensive blunder, as Samuel Lino doubled their lead from an assist by Antoine Griezmann.
Dortmund improved their game in the second half, with the introduction of Julian Brandt giving them more punch up front. However, Lino forced another superb Kobel save in the 75th minute before Haller cut the deficit in the 81st minute to improve the Germans’ odds going into the return leg next Tuesday. Defender Mats Hummels, making his 500th appearance for Dortmund, then kept them in the game by sliding in to stop Angel Correa.
The Germans missed two chances to equalise late in the game, with Jamie Bynoe-Gittens’ deflected shot in the 87th minute bouncing off the crossbar and Brandt’s last-gasp header hitting the woodwork in stoppage time. Dortmund coach Edin Terzic admitted that his team made too many mistakes, saying, “Often, at this level, it’s already over if you make so many mistakes. But we didn’t accept that and still managed to show what we’re capable of.”
Security was tightened around the Metropolitano stadium due to a threat of attacks by the resurgent Islamic State militant group. Hundreds of officers were deployed inside and outside the stadium to ensure the safety of the players and spectators.
