Watch: BVB stun Atletico with 2 goals in 3 minutes to make UCL semis
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Borussia Dortmund flipped the script.
Trailing 4-3 on aggregate after an onslaught of Atletico Madrid pressure in the second half of their quarterfinal clash, it appeared as though the German side had run out of steam following a strong start to Tuesday’s second leg at the Westfalenstadion.
But there was still another twist to come. Two, actually.
Dortmund turned the tie around with a pair of goals in a frenetic three-minute spell. An imposing 71st-minute header from Niclas Fullkrug brought them level on aggregate, and a ferocious left-footed strike from Marcel Sabitzer in the 74th minute completed the comeback, eliminating the stubborn Spanish side 5-4 on aggregate and sending Dortmund to the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time since 2013.
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Dortmund, trailing 2-1 from last week’s first leg in Spain, were buoyed by their famously boisterous crowd and came flying out of the gate, taking a 2-0 lead into halftime through goals from Julian Brandt and Ian Maatsen.
Diego Simeone reacted to his team’s sluggish opening stanza by making three changes coming out of the interval, and that seemed to jolt his squad back to life. The introduction of Angel Correa was particularly impactful, as the diminutive Argentine attacker scored to put Atletico back on top in the tie after a calamitous Mats Hummels own goal had leveled proceedings.
The seesaw affair then took its final turn as Fullkrug and Sabitzer delivered blows from which Atletico couldn’t recover.
“It was magical. I try not to go overboard in interviews, but it was really magical. The stadium was on fire today,” Fullkrug said after the match.
Edin Terzic’s men, sitting fifth in the Bundesliga and far from certain to qualify for next season’s Champions League amid an uneven campaign, will now meet Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinals. The French club knocked out Barcelona on Tuesday in a similarly back-and-forth matchup.