Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's
Champions League last 16 second leg between
Borussia Dortmund and
Tottenham Hotspur!
Spurs are very much in the driving seat of this tie following their 3-0 win in the first leg at Wembley last month, but this is a hostile environment and Spurs have not been in particularly good form domestically since that memorable first-leg triumph. A place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League is up for grabs, but Tottenham have a little more work to do before they get there!
Kickoff is just five minutes away, so let's have a quick look at the team news before we get started...
DORTMUND STARTING XI: Burki; Wolf, Akanji, Diallo, Guerreiro; Witsel, Weigl; Sancho, Gotze, Reus; Alcacer
SUBS: Zagadou, Hakimi, Delaney, Pulisic, Schmelzer, Bruun Larsen, Hitz
TOTTENHAM STARTING XI: Lloris; Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen; Aurier, Winks, Sissoko, Davies; Eriksen; Son, Kane
SUBS: Rose, Lamela, Wanyama, Dier, Llorente, Gazzaniga, Lucas
KICKOFF: Here we go, then! There is a cracking atmosphere inside the stadium, as you would expect as Spurs get us underway!
First legs can often be cagey affairs - and the first half of this one was too - but Dortmund have no option but to attack from the off tonight so we should be in for an entertaining evening! The hosts need to get the first goal, though.
A first glimpse of Sancho tonight as he fires a dangerous low cross into the box which Sanchez cannot deal with. The ball drops loose in the area, but Alderweireld is there to mop up and clear.
UPDATE: There has been a very interesting early goal in the other Champions League tie tonight as Ajax have taken the lead against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu through Hakim Ziyech.
Here is the scene which greeted the Tottenham players this evening. Spurs won here last season, but you can only prepare so much for such an atmosphere.
CHANCE! Sensational from Vertonghen, who was magnificent in the first leg and has just produced a huge challenge inside his own box. Sanchez failed to cut out a cross into the box and it fell to Reus, but just as he was about to pull the trigger Vertonghen threw himself into a perfectly-timed tackle to nick the ball.
Reus still would have had to beat Lloris, of course, but that tackle could prove to be huge. It was a great chance until it was snuffed out, and had Dortmund got the opener that early then things would have been very interesting.
It has been pretty much one-way traffic in this match so far, with Dortmund testing the Tottenham defence on a few occasions already. Spurs are holding firm, but it is Dortmund who are asking all the questions.
Almost a chance for Dortmund... but the flag is up anyway. It looked as though Alcacer had got the wrong side of Sanchez and he took the ball down brilliantly before lifting his finish over the bar, but it wouldn't have counted.
Sanchez has been the weak link for Spurs in these opening exchanges. He is looking very nervous and has mis-kicked the ball on a few occasions already, leading to sights of goal for Dortmund.
UPDATE: Well, well, well - what do we have going on at the Bernabeu?! Ajax are now 2-0 up against Real Madrid to take the lead on aggregate, and Madrid now need two back if they are to go through without the need for extra time! Could the champions be heading out?
SAVE! Lloris is called into action for the first time tonight, and it is a really good reaction stop from the Spurs keeper. Reus picks the ball up on the edge of the box and drills a low shot towards goal which deflects off Sanchez, sending it looping up into the air. Lloris is able to adapt, though, and collects it at the second attempt.
Better from Spurs as Son plays a nice ball through for Eriksen, who tries to clip a pass behind for Kane to run on to. The England striker just strayed a foot offside, though, and it looks like he knew it too.
SHOT! Dortmund go straight up the other end and Diallo breaks into the box down the left flank before cutting the ball back for Gotze on the edge. However, his effort lacks power and Eriksen is back deep in his own box to make a block.
Spurs have made it through a quarter of this second leg without conceding, but Dortmund have been in control of this match so far. Tottenham won't mind giving up the lion's share of possession if they keep a clean sheet, of course, but it is a dangerous game to invite such pressure on.
Dortmund come forward again and Wolf tries to feed a low cross into the corridor of uncertainty, but he puts it too close to Lloris.
The Dortmund fans are being quick to point out any hint of time wasting to the referee, the latest of which comes as Aurier receives treatment and takes his time to leave the pitch afterwards.
CHANCE! Out of nothing, Spurs create their first chance of the match! Eriksen slides a pass through for Son, who bears down on goal but then puts his finish wide under pressure from Wolf! The referee briefly checks with VAR for a possible penalty, but there is nothing in it and Son may have been offside anyway.
A sighter for Dortmund at the other end as Alcacer picks the ball up just inside the area, but his shot is deflected wide for a corner.
CHANCE! More crucial defending from Spurs to keep Dortmund at bay! Weigel flicks a header goalwards which Lloris does really well to save, but the ball bounces loose back out to Weigel, who tries to turn in the rebound. This time it is Davies who is the hero, though, as he throws himself in the way of it to deflect it over.
CLOSE! What a goal this would have been - think Jack Grealish but better! The corner is floated straight out to the edge of the area and Reus connects with a first-time volley beautifully, but it takes a deflection off Sanchez which sends it just over the bar!
SAVE! What a save from Lloris again! The Spurs goal is under siege here, but they are hanging on! Gotze is the latest to be denied as his curling effort looks destined for the top corner until Lloris produces a stunning stop to turn the ball wide with his left hand.
SAVE! Lloris called into action again here as Sancho darts into the box and gets a fierce shot away, but this one is straight at the keeper and he bats it away.
Spurs will be desperate to get into half time at 0-0 here. They have had to produce some heroic defending in this opening 45 minutes so far to keep Dortmund at bay.
Tottenham seems to have stemmed that flurry of chances for now, but they are struggling to keep the ball at the moment with Kane so isolated up front.
SAVE! Alcacer works space to shoot on the edge of the box and tries to curl one into the corner with a quick shot, but he'll have to do better than that with Lloris in this form. A comfortable save in the end of the Spurs keeper.
Better play from Spurs now as they keep the ball for a sustained period - the first time they have really done so all night.
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0-0 TOTTENHAM (SPURS LEAD 3-0 ON AGGREGATE)
The first half of the second leg comes to an end at the Westfalenstadion and we are somehow still goalless on the night, which means that Spurs still lead 3-0 on aggregate.
Dortmund have dominated this game and have played some lovely football, but they have been thwarted by an inspired goalkeeping display and some brilliant last-ditch defending.
Dortmund have created plenty of chances and should be two or three up tonight, but they have just been unable to break through the final line of defence for Spurs.
Often that has been Lloris, who has made brilliant saves to deny Gotze, Weigel and Sancho, while Vertonghen and Davies have both made crucial last-gas blocks to deny Dortmund a couple of other glorious openings.
By contrast, Spurs have only created one attacking moment of any note so far as Son Heung-min was released through on goal and fired wide of the near post.
There was a hint of a push in his back from Wolf which prompted the referee to check with VAR briefly, but the contact began outside the area and there probably wasn't enough in it to warrant a foul anyway.
Dortmund's dominance is played out in the match stats, with the hosts enjoying 70% possession and 10 shots to just the one for Spurs, including five shots on target to none.
They have it all to do now, though, but Spurs scored three times in the second half at Wembley so Dortmund will feel that they can do the same here!
KICKOFF: Dortmund get us underway for the second half!
The hosts are immediately on the front foot again and Reus breaks down the right channel before flashing to low ball right across the face of goal.
Dortmund have again come out quickly for the start of this second half. They know that they have no time to waste if they are to get themselves back into this tie.
GOAL! BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0-1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (HARRY KANE)
GOAL! Surely that is the tie over now! Having been on the back foot all game, Spurs break the deadlock with their first shot on target! Sissoko slides a pass through to Kane, who is played onside by the full-back, and he proceeds a curl a lovely finish past the keeper.
Tottenham now lead 4-0 on aggregate!
© Reuters
Kane is obviously in the mood now! He picks the ball up and tries to catch Burki off his line from a long, long way out, but it flies comfortably off target.
It is the Tottenham fans who can be heard inside the Westfalenstadion now.
Lucien Favre has a stunned look on his face.
TOTTENHAM SUB: Spurs make their first change of the night as Eric Dier replaces Winks.
Poor from Wolf here as he wastes a patient buildup and promising position by firing a hugely speculative effort high and wide of the target.
Dortmund now need five goals in the final 30 minutes of this match, and the size of the task has now dawned on them. They look void of belief after that Kane strike.
UPDATE: Incredible scenes at the Bernabeu as Ajax make it 3-0! Where does this leave Solari?
BORUSSIA DORTMUND SUBS: A double change for the hosts as Christian Pulisic and Jacob Bruun Larsen replace Wolf and Guerreiro.
Dortmund have outpassed Spurs by more than 300, with a pass accuracy of 90% tonight. The hosts have not played badly by any means, but they have found Spurs in very stubborn form.
Dortmund are still dominating possession and are just passing it amongst themselves at the moment, but Spurs are perfectly content with that as there is no real penetration.
More good defending from Vertonghen as he mops up an attempt pass into the box which threatened to beat him.
TOTTENHAM SUB: Change for Spurs as Son is replaced by Erik Lamela.
UPDATE: Game on at the Bernabeu? Real Madrid have pulled a goal back against Ajax, but they still need two more as things stand!
UPDATE: Scrap that - Ajax have quickly added a FOURTH in the Spanish capital. What a night for the Dutch outfit and surely that is them through to the quarter-finals now!
BORUSSIA DORTMUND SUB: A third and final change for the hosts as Reus is replaced by Thomas Delaney.
CHANCE! Chance for Dortmund as the ball is floated into the box for an unmarked Pulisic, but he needs to create all the power himself and can only float his header onto the roof of the net.
Tottenham had to ride their luck at times in the first half for sure, but this will go down as another famous away win in Europe tonight. They have carried out their game plan to perfection.
Chance for Spurs to break as Aurier picks out Sissoko to leave the visitors with a two-on-one situation. Sissoko cannot get the ball out of his feet, though, and eventually goes down in search of a penalty which isn't coming.
Just eight minutes remaining in this match now and the wind has been out of Dortmund's sails since that Kane goal went in. They have been going through the motions since then.
TOTTENHAM SUB: Another change for the visitors sees Danny Rose replace Eriksen.
SAVE! A routine save for Lloris here as he gathers a Bruun Larsen strike which hit Gotze on the way through to him.
Another Bruun Larsen effort and another block which sends the ball behind for a corner. Spurs have defended incredibly well tonight.
CHANCE! Still Lloris will not be beaten! Alcacer picks up the ball inside the area and goes for goal, but the Spurs keeper saves with his legs.
There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this match.
FULL TIME: BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0-1 TOTTENHAM (TOTTENHAM WIN 4-0 ON AGGREGATE)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR REACH THE QUARTER-FINALS OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!
Spurs reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League for only the second time in their history, and the first since 2011, and they do it in style with a 4-0 aggregate victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Tonight's win was a smash-and-grab one, but it was also a textbook away European performance as they withstood relentless first-half pressure before taking one of their very few chances on the night through Harry Kane's record-breaking 24th European goal for the club.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's Champions League last 16 second leg as Spurs confirm their place in the quarter-finals with a 4-0 aggregate triumph over Dortmund. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too!
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
