Home Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi beats Chelsea's goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in the opening round of the Champions League on February 15, 2023.
Dortmund/Brugge – Dortmund's players beat in the opening Champions League round of 16 Chelsea 1-0 to win their seventh consecutive competitive game. Benfica Lisbon is significantly close to the quarter-finals. The Portuguese team won 2:0 at FC Brugge. Rematches are scheduled for March 7.
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Photo gallery: Football Champions League 2022/23
Dortmund's triumph was decided in the 63rd minute after a quick counterattack and an exemplary solo action by Adeyemi. The 21-year-old forward got rid of Argentine world champion Fernández, played goalkeeper Arrizabalaga and finished into an empty net.
Chelsea did not convert many chances. Félix missed twice in the opening act, one of which hit the crossbar. With the score 1:0 for Borussia, home midfielder Can kicked the ball from the goal line and goalkeeper Kobel caught Fernández's shot from behind the goal.
Dortmund defeated the English opponent after 10 games, on the other hand, the “Blues” did not beat the German team for the fifth time in a row. Coach Potter's men have won only one of the last nine games and have not won away for the ninth time in a row.
Like Dortmund and Chelsea, Bruges and Benfica also met for the first time in UEFA competitions. The visitors scored both goals at the stadium of the Belgian national team after the break. Joao Mário was the first to score from the penalty, and substitute Neres added the insurance at the end. Former defender Slavia Bah played the entire match for the Lisbon team.
Bruges, who are in the round of 16 of the Champions League for the first time, have lost the fifth of their last six duels with Portuguese teams. They did not win at home for the seventh time in a row. Benfica have not lost away from home in the Champions League for the ninth time in a row, and after a year they have once again reached the quarter-finals. Last year, they went through Ajax Amsterdam in the round of 16.
The opening round of 16 match of the Champions League:
FC Bruges – Benfica Lisbon 0:2 (0:0)
Goals: 51. Joao Mário from pen., 88. Neres. Referee: Massa – Melli, Alassio – Valeri (video, all It.). ŽK: Odoi, Sowah – Otamendi. Spectators: 24,136.
Bruges: Mignolet – Mata, Hendry, Mechele, Meijer – Odoi (65. Nielsen), Onyedika – Buchanan, Vanaken, Sowah (79. Jutgla) – Lang. Coach: Parker.
Benfica: Vlachodimos – Bah, A. Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo – Florentino, Chiquinho – Aursnes, Joao Mário (90.+4 Neves), Rafa Silva (65. Neres) – Ramos (65. Guedes). Coach: Schmidt.
Borussia Dortmund – Chelsea 1:0 (0:0)
Goal: 63. Adeyemi. Referee: Manzano – Barbero, Nevado – Hernández (video, all Sp.). ŽK: Bellingham, Can, Adeyemi, Özcan, Ryerson, Süle – James, Silva, Zijach, Mount. Spectators: 81,365 (sold out).
Dortmund: Kobel – Wolf (73. Ryerson), Süle, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro – Can – Adeyemi (79. Bynoe-Gittens), Bellingham, Özcan, Brandt – Haller ( 68. Modesto). Coach: Terzič.
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga – James, Koulibaly, Silva, Chilwell (71. Cucurella) – Loftus-Cheek, Fernández – Zijach, Félix, Mudryk (71. Mount) – Havertz. Trainer: Potter.
