10th March, 2016
Borussia Dortmund put in a scintillating performance as they took full control of their Europa League last-16 tie with a 3-0 first-leg victory against Tottenham at the Westfalenstadion.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring in the 30th minute against a much-changed Spurs side, heading Marcel Schmelzer’s cross into the far corner for his eighth Europa League goal of the season.
A Marco Reus double in the second half (61 and 70) forced Mauricio Pochettino, who made seven changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Arsenal, into bringing Harry Kane off the bench for the final 15 minutes as the visitors went in search of an away goal.
However, Dortmund kept their clean sheet intact to take a commanding three-goal lead to White Hart Lane for next week’s second leg.
Only Hugo Lloris, Toby Alderweireld, Kevin Wimmer and Christian Eriksen kept their places as Pochettino tinkered with his starting line-up and it was the latter who had an early sight of goal, but he could only fire a shot straight at Roman Weidenfeller.
That was to be Spurs’ only chance of the first half as Dortmund, who are second behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, seized control of proceedings with Gonzalo Castro and Erik Durm both going close.
There was to be no let-up from the Bundesliga side as Aubameyang latched onto Schmelzer’s cross in the 11th minute, but the striker could not keep his volley down.
Minutes later, the Gabon international had the ball in the back of the net after Lloris kept Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s long-range effort out, but the flag was rightly up to keep the scores level.
Dortmund eventually took the lead and it was Aubameyang who rose above Ben Davies to head Schmelzer’s cross past Lloris to notch his 33rd of the season in all competitions.
Thomas Tuchel’s side continued to pile the pressure on their English opponents as Reus went close with a free-kick before Durm’s shot was superbly blocked by Ryan Mason.
Five minutes after the break, Mkhitaryan’s superb through-ball was lifted across goal by Aubameyang, but Castro’s shot from a tight angle came back off the post.
In the 61st minute, Dortmund’s dominance paid off as Castro’s cross was flicked to the far post by substitute Neven Subotic for Reus to smash into the roof of the net.
It was no more than the home side deserved and their supporters were celebrating again nine minutes later when Reus added the finishing touch to a brilliant passing move.
Pochettino turned to Mousa Dembele, Erik Lamela and Kane as the visitors went in search of a crucial away goal, but it wasn’t to be as Dortmund extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 games.
For Spurs, it is a third straight game without success but they will be hoping to get back to winning ways away to the Premier League’s bottom side Aston Villa on Sunday, before welcoming Dortmund to White Hart Lane for the second leg in a week’s time.
SkySports