Borussia Dortmund hosted Sporting CP in the return leg of the Champions League Knockout playoffs. BVB held a 3-0 advantage heading into this match, so even a loss could have been enough to see them through the round. But alas, a scoreless draw was the result.
The first half of the game was rather lackluster and reminiscent of Dortmund’s style of play under the brief tenure of Peter Stöger, but in many ways, that’s what Dortmund needed. There was a much higher focus on maintaining an organized shape, especially in defense, to ensure a team collapse wouldn’t happen.
The second half saw more life from Dortmund’s attacking players, especially with the additions of Beier, Duranville, and then Reyna. Yet nobody could beat Rui Silva, who made five saves in this match, including a Serhou Guirassy penalty kick.
It wasn’t the most exciting performance, but Borussia Dortmund is through to the Champions League Last Sixteen! Here are the player ratings for the 0-0 draw: