DORTMUND, GERMANY (AFP) – A superb length-of-the-field goal from Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi helped his side to a 1-0 win over Chelsea yesterday, putting them in the box seat to qualify for the Champions League quarter-finals.
Adeyemi’s goal came during a period of sustained dominance from the visitors early in the second half, with the Germany forward pouncing on a clearance from a Chelsea corner.
Adeyemi sensed the opportunity and ran the length of the field, rounding both Enzo Fernandez and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to give Dortmund the lead in the first leg tie.
Dortmund captain Jude Bellingham told German TV when Adeyemi finds himself in space “not many players can really stop him”.
After the match, Adeyemi praised his side’s desire to fight for giving them an advantage ahead of March’s return leg in London.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter hailed his team’s performance but lamented their failure to score.
The win means Dortmund only need a draw in London to progress to the quarter-finals for the second time in the past four years.
While Potter may still be working on how to get his squad of expensive newcomers to work as a team, the visitors’ individual quality and speed on the counter was obvious throughout. Chelsea looked certain to score in the 78th minute when Kalidou Koulibaly’s shot dribbled goalwards, but Can intervened to clear the danger, booting the ball to safety before it crossed the line.
