Jadon Sancho’s early goal propelled Borussia Dortmund into the Champions League quarter-finals for only the second time since 2017, as they dispatched PSV Eindhoven in their last 16 encounter.
With the tie finely poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Eindhoven last month, Sancho, on loan from Manchester United, wasted no time in giving Dortmund the edge, slotting home a low shot from the edge of the penalty area just three minutes into the match.
Sancho’s return to form comes after a stint in Manchester where his career had stalled under manager Erik ten Hag. While his start at Dortmund had been relatively uneventful, his early goal now brings renewed hope for a strong finish to the season ahead of a pivotal summer transfer window.
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In a closely contested match where both teams shared possession and chances, Dortmund had a second goal disallowed when Niclas Fullkrug was ruled offside. However, Marco Reus sealed their progression deep into stoppage time, securing a 2-0 victory on the night and a 3-1 aggregate win.
Meanwhile, the other match on Wednesday saw Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan battling to a 2-2 draw after 210 minutes of football, requiring a penalty shootout to determine the winner.
Inter held a 1-0 aggregate lead from the first leg and seemed poised to advance even after Antoine Griezmann leveled the score following Federico Dimarco’s first-half opener for Inter. However, Memphis Depay’s clinical finish in the 87th minute forced extra time, where neither side managed to find a breakthrough.
The penalty shootout saw Atletico emerge victorious after three consecutive misses from Inter, with Lautaro Martinez’s wayward effort sealing Atletico’s 3-2 shootout win and their place in the quarter-finals.