toptop
Kai
Havertz's retaken penalty helped Chelsea move into the Champions League
quarter-finals as they overturned a one-goal deficit from the first leg to beat
Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on aggregate.
Havertz sent his initial effort against the post after Marius Wolf was penalised
for handball but a re-take was ordered due to encroachment and the Germany
international held his nerve, picking the same spot and converting at the second
attempt (53).
Raheem Sterling had earlier levelled the tie on aggregate with a powerful strike
from the centre of the box from Ben Chilwell's cut-back (43) following a
positive start by the hosts at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, buoyed by Saturday's much-needed 1-0 win over Leeds in the Premier
League, came into the game having only scored twice in their previous seven
games but finally found some cutting edge in front of goal, the victory keeping
their European dream alive and relieving some of the pressure on head coach
Graham Potter.
Player ratings
Chelsea: Kepa (7), Cucurella (7), Koulibaly (7), Fofana (7),
James (7), Chilwell (7), Kovacic (7), Fernandez (7), Sterling (8), Havertz (8),
Felix (7).
Subs: Gallagher (7), Pulisic (n/a), Loftus-Cheek (n/a), Zakaria
(n/a).
Borussia Dortmund: Meyer (7), Wolf (5), Sule (6), Schlotterbeck
(6), Guerreiro (6), Can (7), Ozcan (6), Brandt (n/a), Bellingham (7), Reus (6),
Haller (6).
Subs: Reyna (7), Bynoe-Gittens (6), Malen (6).
Player of the match: Kai Havertz
How Chelsea fought past Dortmund
After a delay of 10 minutes to the kick-off time due to traffic around Stamford
Bridge, Chelsea were quickly onto the front foot, Joao Felix seeing an early
effort charged down by Alexander Meyer before Havertz fired wildly over when put
through on goal.
Dortmund weathered the early storm and went close themselves when a Marco Reus
free-kick forced an acrobatic save from Kepa Arrizabalaga, but Chelsea were soon
in the ascendency again.
They moved the ball forward with speed and directness and, despite some
sloppiness in possession, the approach saw them create a succession of
first-half chances, with Havertz crashing a shot off the inside of the post
which whistled across the goal-line.
Havertz then thought he had opened the scoring when a second effort thundered in
off the underside of the bar after Sterling had been denied by Meyer, but the
linesman raised his flag, with VAR showing Sterling to be just offside in the
build-up.
It felt like a familiar story for Chelsea, even more so when the unmarked
Kalidou Koulibaly mis-kicked a Chilwell corner with Meyer stranded, and Felix
then saw his follow-up effort blocked.
But the breakthrough finally arrived when Chilwell accelerated into the Dortmund
box on the left and cut the ball back for Sterling, who fired home at the second
attempt after initially failing to make a proper connection with his shot.
Chelsea were indebted to Chilwell again when he showed impressive alertness at
the other end to prevent Raphael Guerreiro from going through on goal just
before the break, and their second arrived soon after play resumed after
half-time.
Dortmund felt the penalty award was harsh given Wolf's proximity to Chilwell
when the wing-back's attempted cross struck his hand, but referee Danny Makkelie
was unmoved by their protests having consulted the pitch-side monitor.
Chelsea were then handed a reprieve when a re-take was ordered for encroachment
by Dortmund's players after Havertz had sent his effort against the upright, but
he finished clinically with his second, once again stuttering his run-up as he
picked the same spot.
Dortmund had the better of things after that as they attempted to force extra
time, but Chelsea withstood the visitors' pressure, with Jude Bellingham sending
a glorious chance wide and Wolf seeing a diagonal effort saved by Kepa.
In the end, the one-goal aggregate advantage proved sufficient for the hosts,
with a delighted Potter joining the celebrations on the pitch afterwards, the
victory keeping their hopes of Champions League glory alive despite their
Premier League struggles.
Another Chelsea comeback - Opta stats
Chelsea have now progressed from five Champions League knockout stage ties after
losing the first leg, the joint-most of any team in the competition's history
(Barcelona, Juventus and Real Madrid also five).
Chelsea boss Graham Potter has become just the second English manager to win
five games in a single UEFA Champions League campaign, along with Bobby Robson
at Newcastle in 2002-03.
Chelsea scored more than once in match for the first time in 13 matches in all
competitions, since beating Bournemouth 2-0 in the Premier League in December.
Borussia Dortmund have now lost their last six away games against English sides
in the UEFA Champions League, since beating Arsenal 2-1 in October 2013.
With five shots and two chances created, Kai Havertz was directly involved in
over half of Chelsea's 13 shots against Borussia Dortmund in this match.
What's next for Chelsea?
Chelsea return to Premier League action with an away trip to Leicester City on
Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.
The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals takes place on March 17, with
the first and second legs to be played on April 11,12 and April 18, 19.
Click Here For Official Team Sheet
Teams
Chelsea Kepa, W. Fofana, Koulibaly, Cucurella, James, Enzo
(Zakaria 87), Kovacic (c) (Loftus-Cheek 83), Chilwell, Joao Felix (Gallagher
68), Havertz, Sterling (Pulisic 83)
Subs Not Used Bettinelli, Bergstrom, Hall, Chalobah,
Chukwuemeka, Mudryk, Ziyech
Booked Kepa, Enzo, Chilwell, Cucurella
Goals Sterling 43, Havertz 53 (pen)
Borussia Dortmund Meyer, Guerreiro, Schlotterbeck, Sule, Wolf,
Ozcan (Bynoe-Gittens 64), Can, Reus (c), Bellingham, Brandt (Reyna 5), Haller
(Mallen 77)
Subs Not Used Kobel, Passlack, Modeste, Unbehaun, Meunier,
Dahoud, Coulibaly
Booked Sule, Wolf, Bellingham
Goals
Attendance 38,882
Referee Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
VAR Pol van Boekel (Netherlands)