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Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund. UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

Stamford BridgeAttendance38,882.

Chelsea 2

  • R Sterling (43rd minute)
  • K Havertz (53rd minute pen)

Borussia Dortmund 0

    2-1

    Chelsea 2-0 Borussia Dortmund (agg 2-1): Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz on target to reach Champions League quarter-finals

    Match report as Raheem Sterling's first-half strike and Kai Havertz's penalty seal a 2-1 aggregate win for Chelsea over Borussia Dortmund; Blues take their place in the Champions League quarters; victory eases pressure on head coach Graham Potter

    Raheem Sterling scores for Chelsea against Borussia Dortmund to level the tie at 1-1 on aggregate
    Image: Raheem Sterling levelled the tie at 1-1 on aggregate with his first-half goal

    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).

    For Dortmund, the decision to award Havertz's penalty and then allow him to retake it left a bitter taste. "It is a yard or two away," said midfielder Jude Bellingham of the handball. "That in itself was disappointing, but the fact they had a retake is a joke.

    "For every penalty with such a slow run up there is going to be encroachment by people running into the box by a yard or so, but that's the game. They've made the decision. We have to live with it."

    Emre Can added: "To give a second penalty? I just don't understand it. He [Havertz] hit the post, end of story. The referee was arrogant all game... we're playing in Stamford Bridge.

    "Maybe he was afraid of the fans, no idea but then maybe UEFA should send another referee. It's just not on."

    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.

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    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.

    "To win a game to go into the last eight of the Champions League you'd have to say it's up there with wins and evenings in my career," said Potter.

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    Tim Sherwood reacts to Kai Havertz's penalty for Chelsea against Borussia Dortmund after the German hit the post, but was fortunately awarded a retake

    Player ratings

    Chelsea: Kepa (7), Cucurella (8), 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: Marc Cucurella

    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.

    Team news

    • Reece James was passed fit to start for Chelsea while Marc Cucurella also returned as Graham Potter persisted with a back three.
    • Alexander Meyer replaced Gregor Kobel in goal for Dortmund and Marco Reus started in place of Kevin Adeyemi in attack.

    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.

    Dortmund's Marco Reus challenges Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez
    Image: Dortmund's Marco Reus challenges Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez

    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.

    Encroachment rules

    • Encroachment by an attacking player results in penalty retaken (if penalty was scored) or indirect free-kick (if penalty was not scored).
    • Encroachment by a defending player results in goal (if penalty was scored) or penalty retaken (if penalty was not scored).
    • Encroachment by defending and attacking players results in penalty retaken regardless of outcome of spot-kick.

    Chelsea were then handed a reprieve when a re-take was ordered for encroachment by players from both sides 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.

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    Tim Sherwood was left shocked after seeing Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham miss from close-range against Chelsea

    Dortmund had the better of things after that as they attempted to claw a goal back and 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.

    Chelsea's Kai Havertz, right, celebrates with teammate Joao Felix after scoring his sides second goal during the Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Chelsea FC and Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge, London, Tuesday March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
    Image: Chelsea's Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot

    Potter: Fantastic feeling after emotional win

    Chelsea boss Graham Potter told BT Sport: "There is a lot of emotion in the end. It was tense in the end but the boys played fantastic. I am delighted for them to get the win and great for everyone here.

    "There was a fantastic feeling in the dressing room. We have been through a tough period and this competition means a lot for us. We wanted to progress and get into the last eight and it sets us up for the next few weeks.

    "We have to recover and prepare for Saturday when we play Leicester. It is great for the boys, two clean sheets after a tough period. You get that in life and it is about how you respond and the players have been fantastic.

    Wesley Fofana has been a huge boost for Chelsea since returning from injury
    Image: Wesley Fofana helped Chelsea overcome Borussia Dortmund

    "It was important we put pressure on them and get the crowd with us. It is not easy to do because they are a top team playing with confidence.

    "Credit to the players they gave everything and over the two games I thought we deserved to go through."

    Asked what he knew about the decision for Havertz to retake his penalty, he added: "Not a massive amount to be honest. I knew they had encroached.

    "It was between him or Reece [to take it]. Sometimes they have to feel it on the pitch. Obviously we have confidence in Kai. I wasn't watching it but delighted when I heard the roar. Taking penalties is not for me, so I am in awe of anybody [who does]."

    Bellingham: Penalty retake was a joke

    Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, speaking to BT Sport about the penalty decision: "I've not seen the incident back, from where I was it looked pretty close, I'm not sure what more you can do with the hands."

    After watching the replay, he added: "It is a yard or two away. I am not too sure. I don't want to get in trouble. That in itself was disappointing but the fact they had a retake is a joke.

    "For every penalty with such a slow run up there is going to be encroachment by people running into the box by a yard or so, but that's the game. They've made the decision and we have to live with it."

    Terzic: We can't complain

    Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic said: "Congratulations to Chelsea. I think it was very tight game. In these kinds of games, inches or moments decide whether you go to the next round or not.

    "There were some moments when we were unlucky but this is also part of the game, so we won't complain.

    "I think both teams deserved to go to the next round but tonight, Chelsea scored twice, we haven't, so we can't complain about getting dropped out of the Champions League.

    "If a decision takes about five or six minutes then it's not easy to make a call," he added of the decision to order the penalty retake.

    "But as the manager of the team, I 'm responsible for the performance of the team and the performance of the staff, but not the performance of the referee. We didn't speak about the referee a lot last week and we won't start with that tonight."

    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 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 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.

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