(VIDEO): Watch Chelsea vs Dortmund 2-0 Full Highlight Goals with Actions of Champions League Match
London’s STAMFORD BRIDGE — Chelsea overcame a 1-0 loss against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg by scoring two goals in one match for the first time in 2023 to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.
Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz scored goals to earn a 2-0 victory on the night, which relieves pressure on Graham Potter and keeps their chances of winning a trophy in what has been a disappointing domestic campaign alive.
With a full Stamford Bridge cheering their side on to score first, Chelsea made the most of their early opportunities. Sterling, Havertz and Joao Felix all looked energetic from the outset with stand-in goalkeeper Alexander Meyer giving an early sign he’d be in for a hectic night.
Nevertheless, Dortmund had the first genuine opportunity of the match when Marco Reus forced Kepa Arrizabalaga into an incredible one-handed stop from a free-kick that seemed to be heading for the back of the goal from 25 yards.
Havertz had not scored in any of his previous eight outings against Dortmund, which was his poorest record against any team in his career. When he hit the inside of the post with a first-time attempt from the outside of the box on minute 28, he must have thought that trend was going to continue. Ten minutes later, he did manage to score with a beautiful curling attempt that went over Meyer, but Sterling was flagged for being offside in the buildup. How’s the going?
But just before halftime, Sterling, who had originally missed with his left foot after receiving a low cross from the left wing, recovered his composure and slammed the ball home with his right foot from close range. This gave the Blues the breakthrough and put them back in the game.
When he was handed the chance to convert a penalty soon after the restart, Havertz could have believed his bad luck had come to an end. The Blues were given a penalty when Marius Wolf handled Ben Chilwell’s cross at close range according to a VAR review. The German’s penalty, however, hit the post. Fortunately for him, there was an intrusion into the box behind him, allowing for a recapture. He scored the winning goal against Dortmund this time with a precise shot that went in the opposite side of the post.
Conor Gallagher put the ball in the back of the net for Chelsea late on, but Sterling was once again adjudged to be offside in the build-up as Potter made tactical changes to finish the game.
Chelsea defended well and won the game to secure their place in the quarterfinals despite a late effort from Dortmund.
Kai Havertz beats Dortmund to stop his dreadful record.
This evening in west London, Havertz seemed intent on ending his streak of eight games without scoring against Dortmund.
The 2021 Champions League final striker didn’t let an early attempt that blasted over in the first 10 minutes to bother him as he developed into the game. The most shots he has tried in a single game this season are the five he attempted against Chelsea.
He may have been excused for believing that this would not be his night after hitting the post twice, including on his first penalty shot. Nonetheless, he showed bravery by continuing his halting run-up and choosing the same side as his retake to eventually stop that run. The Chelsea crowd was prepared to explode against him if he had missed.
I’m not sure what I was thinking when it struck the post, but the referee allowed me to take the penalty again. While I was a little anxious, I succeeded, said Havertz. The second one was a little simpler since I attempted to wait and observe the keeper.
How many goals has Raheem Sterling scored in the Champions League?
“His goalscoring record in the Champions League speaks for itself,” stated Potter before tonight’s encounter. He has experience running for office in that field.
Correct. While he builds on his record of 24 goals in 67 Champions League appearances for previous club Manchester City, he already has three goals in Europe for the Blues this season. The second-most English player in Champions League history, Sterling has scored 27 goals, more than any other player.
Sterling said of his goal, “I had a little miskick with the first touch but it fell brilliantly and helped us to build on that for our performance. The England international is a delight to watch when playing at his best and tormenting defenders with his quickness and cleverness, however when it doesn’t go his way he can becoming an easy target for supporters to vent their anger.
Potter could have hooked him, but he fluffed his lines in the first two minutes by taking too long to get a shot off and straying offside repeatedly all game. But, Potter deserves praise for sticking with him and having a significant influence on the outcome.
The Champions League is Chelsea’s to lose.
Actually, Chelsea has only won four games since the World Cup. As teams they have defeated, Dortmund joins the illustrious list of Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Leeds.
Potter’s sole opportunity for trophies outside of both domestic cups and finishing 10th in the Premier League is in Europe. While he’ll play his strongest team and go for glory in the Champions League, it will be interesting to see how he balances that with keeping their slim hopes of a top-four finish alive.
But in the Champions League, Chelsea seems to be a completely different animal. Dortmund was aiming for their 11th straight victory in all competitions going into tonight, while Chelsea was hoping to win back-to-back games for the first time since October! They’ve won five of their eight Champions League matches this campaign.
Everything went Chelsea’s way this evening and although Potter is finding his feet in the Champions League, the club are two-time champions and that experience and history will count for much towards the business end of the campaign.
Chelsea have now progressed from five UCL knockout stage ties after losing the first leg — the joint most of any team (Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid have also achieved that feat) — but no team will want to draw them in the next round given their European form.
The Blues can now look forward to learning their quarterfinal opponent when the draw is made on March 17
Video: Chelsea Vs Dortmund 2-0 Highlights