Borussia Dortmund had to give up the Champions League on Tuesday under tragic and controversial circumstances, but not without reason. The second-placed team in the Bundesliga lost 2-0 to Chelsea – giving up their 1-0 lead from the round of 16 first leg. One of the strongest forces in London was Chelsea’s German international Kai Havertz, who shone especially in the first half – and scored the 2-0 shortly after the break with a controversial hand penalty. Chelsea’s US investor Todd Boehly’s €600 million project, which drew ridicule for its failures in the league, remains alive. The Dortmunders now have to concentrate on the fight for the title in the Bundesliga and the DFB Cup.
The day of the game had an anecdote and two dramatically bad news ready for Dortmund. The posse was that the Dortmund expedition arrived at Stamford Bridge with a ten-minute delay. That had nothing to do with the navigator or with left-hand traffic – the people of Dortmund were only victims of the notorious evening traffic, which tempted the German national team to use the metro when they visited London almost ten years ago. Dortmund’s delay led to the game being adjourned. But that was nothing compared to the personal setbacks that BVB had to endure.
Before the game it was clear that the goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who had shined so often recently, had to pass. The muscular problems he felt while warming up before the Bundesliga game against RB Leipzig were not overcome on Tuesday either. As against Leipzig (and four previous Champions League games), Alexander Meyer was in goal. Not only because of the appealing way in which Meyer performed his temporary work, what happened after only three minutes weighed far worse. Julian Brandt grabbed the back of his thigh and had to be substituted for Giovanni Reyna. Thus, the Dortmunders were robbed of a considerable part of their imagination and elegance.
What followed was a half where Dortmund were playthings in the hands of a Chelsea side who can’t get their feet on the ground in the Premier League. Apart from a formidable free kick from BVB captain Marco Reus, which Chelsea’s Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga fished out of the right corner after a long flight, only Chelsea posed a threat.
Dortmund has first luck and then bad luck against Chelsea
In the first ten minutes alone, Raheem Sterling, João Félix and Havertz had the best chances. Dortmund were even more lucky when Havertz, who was playing more and more well, took a shot from 13 meters and just hit the inside post. Another Havertz shot of subtle beauty found its way into the net off the bottom of the crossbar. But because Sterling had previously been ruled offside, the goal was annulled. Sterling got another opportunity just before the half-time break. Or more precisely: two. After a cross from Ben Chilwell, Sterling initially lost his breath, but then made his guard Reus, who was weak on Tuesday, look like frozen hydrochloric acid and shot the ball into the net to take a 1-0 lead (43′). And since it was obviously a night of second chances, Havertz was able to increase to 2-0 shortly after the break.
He needed the help of the video referee Pol van Boekel, a well-versed man. The Dutchman first sent the referee Danny Makkelie to the TV screen, and after looking at the pictures he decided that he had overlooked a handball by Marius Wolf on a Chilwell cross. That was at least one tough decision. At least the scene carried no hints of intention.
Kai Havertz made it 2-0 for Chelsea from the point – after initially hitting the post.
(Photo: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
It was of no use to the Dortmunders that Havertz put the ball on the right post – because the international was allowed to repeat the penalty. The reason: video referee van Boekel had seen that a number of Dortmunders had entered the penalty area without authorization before the penalty was taken – including the black and yellow who cleared the ball. The replay was covered by the rules, although several Chelsea players ran into the sixteen. That irritated Dortmund, but not Havertz. He converted his second attempt safely and coldly to make it 2-0 (53rd).
Dortmund had their backs to the wall, the 1-0 lead from the first leg was lost. For the first time in the game, Borussia tried to get stuck in the hosts’ half. Even if they managed this rather poorly than well, they did have two great opportunities. In the 58th minute, the ball suddenly landed at Jude Bellingham’s feet. But from just six meters he aimed next to the goal. A further seven minutes later, Wolf failed from a inside right position at the Chelsea goalkeeper. But as unstable as Chelsea had shown themselves in the months since Graham Potter was installed in September, Dortmund’s rebellion was far from enough to jeopardize Chelsea’s victory.