Borussia Dortmund made it into the quarter-finals of the Champions League after beating Lille 2-1 at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Wednesday evening to set up a clash with Barcelona.
Les Dogues got off to the perfect start when Jonathan David - who has scored in all of his team's home Champions League games this season - put Bruno Genesio's side in front with just five minutes on the clock, though it was a gift from BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel in truth.
Former Newcastle man Remy Cabella should have put the hosts two ahead when he volleyed over the bar 10 minutes later, and was almost made to rue his miss but a combination of shot-stopper Lucas Chevalier and centre-back Alexsandro kept Pascal Gross from levelling the score moments later.
That being said, the visitors will by mystified as to how the ball stayed out when Chevalier made a quick-time triple save and a shot was blocked on the line in a scramble following a corner with just over 20 minutes gone, but it was a sign that Dortmund were getting closer, as was Gross's header that hit the crossbar just before the interval.
Lille right-back Thomas Meunier gave his former side a penalty seven minutes into the second half when he caught Seydou Guirassy in the box, and Emre Can tied up the scoreline by maintaining his 100% record from 12 yards this season.
Niko Kovac's men made good on their chance creation roughly 10 minutes later thanks to Maximilian Beier, who put the black and yellows in front on the night and on aggregate with a powerful strike into the top corner, and though the hosts found some energy towards the end of the match, BVB held on to progress.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
Lille started and ended the match well but their lead came from a goalkeeping error, and they were definitely second best overall on the night.
The hosts only kept one clean sheet in the league phase - their 1-0 win over Real Madrid - and continued to be defensively porous on Wednesday, conceding numerous chances to Dortmund that could have made the scoreline more reflective of the game if not for the heroics of Chevalier and Alexsandro, and had Gross and Karim Adeyemi not been denied by the frame of the goal.
However, Les Dogues enjoyed a good run in the Champions League this term, finishing a surprisingly high seventh in the league table and recording some fantastic results against the likes of Los Blancos and Feyenoord, and with qualification for next season's edition of the tournament in sight, they will turn their attentions back to Ligue 1.
As for Dortmund, they had lost seven of their last eight European ties in which they drew the first leg at home and bucked that trend with their comeback win.
It has been rumoured that boss Kovac is under pressure to qualify for the Champions League next term with the team currently 10th in the Bundesliga, but a strong cup run for last season's finalists should endear him to the fans in the meantime.
LILLE VS. BORUSSIA DORTMUND HIGHLIGHTS
Jonathan David goal vs. Borussia Dortmund (5th min, Lille 1-0 Borussia Dortmund (2-1 Agg.))
David opens the scoring for Lille 💪
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The Canadian's strike goes through the legs of Kobel 😬
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Ismaily drives down the left flank before picking out Jonathan David in the box with a fine low cross, and the Canadian international strikes the ball directly at goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who lets the shot through his legs to gift the hosts an early lead.
Lille are going through 2-1 on aggregate as things stand!
Emre Can goal vs. Lille (54th min, Lille 1-1 Borussia Dortmund (2-2 Agg.))
Emre Can levels the tie for Dortmund from the penalty spot 🎯
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 12, 2025
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The referee points to the spot after former Dortmund full-back Thomas Meunier catches Seydou Guirassy in the box, though some would say that the foul was 'soft'.
Regardless, captain Emre Can steps up and levels the score with a clean strike into the centre of the net from 12 yards.
Maximilian Beier goal vs. Lille (65th min, Lille 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (2-3 Agg.))
WHAT A HIT 🤩
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Maximilian Beier fires Dortmund into the lead 💥
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BVB play the ball across from the right to left-back Julian Ryerson, who cuts inside and lays it off to Guirassy, who in turn finds Maximilian Beier inside the box, and the 22-year-old produces a fantastic strike that has enough power to strand Chevalier as it travels into the top-right corner.
The visitors are ahead!
MAN OF THE MATCH - LUCAS CHEVALIER
© Imago
The Lille goalkeeper may have been on the losing side, but if not for his heroics, his team would have been out of the game before half time.
In truth, it was Les Dogue's forwards that failed to show up on Wednesday, and Chevalier can hold his head up despite the defeat.
LILLE VS. BORUSSIA DORTMUND MATCH STATS
Possession: Lille 50%-50% Borussia Dortmund
Shots: Lille 11-17 Borussia Dortmund
Shots on target: Lille 4-8 Borussia Dortmund
Corners: Lille 4-3 Borussia Dortmund
Fouls: Lille 11-12 Borussia Dortmund
BEST STATS
Jonathan David has now scored more goals in major European competitions than any other Lille player in the club's history (13), with 10 of them coming in the Champions League.
— Squawka (@Squawka) March 12, 2025
It's not unlucky for him. 😀 pic.twitter.com/AhELNgm8XX
Serhou Guirassy's Champions League campaign just keeps getting better. 😍
— Squawka (@Squawka) March 12, 2025
The Dortmund forward has equalled Mohamed Salah's record from 2017/18 as the African player with the most direct goal involvements in a single UCL campaign.
His game by numbers vs. Lille:
38 touches
11... pic.twitter.com/V9vqDe7RoE
WHAT NEXT?
Next up for Lille is a trip away to relegation-threatened Nantes in Ligue 1, and a win could take them into the Champions League places.
As for Dortmund, they will take on Barcelona in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but will first travel to face RB Leipzig as they look to qualify for European competition next season.
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