Sporting Falls Flat as Dortmund Marches Into Champions League Knockouts

Borussia Dortmund joined the clubs who already through to the last 16 of the Champions League with a comfortable 0-0 draw against Sporting CP at home. This result completed a 3-0 aggregate win for the German side, who were ruthless in the first leg. 

Dortmund now awaits the result of Friday’s draw to find out their next opponent, who will either be Aston Villa or Lille.

A three-goal deficit did not seem to spur Sporting — on the contrary, it seemed to be a call to play not to lose. The home-based absence of their prolific striker, Viktor Gyokeres, who has a lingering injury, was a further sign that they had accepted the inevitable.

There were few genuine chances in the match itself. Dortmund’s Marcel Sabitzer had a pair of long-range attempts, but Sporting’s goalkeeper, Rui Silva, was equal to the task. Silva also made up for a foul on Karim Adeyemi in the second half by stopping a penalty kick from Serhou Guirassy. Dortmund substitute Giovanni Reyna nearly found the net himself lately, when his shot struck the post.

A header from Emre Can was ruled offside, so Dortmund still had no goals. And while they had some trouble at their domestic league recently, Dortmund manager, Niko Kovač, was pleased with the way his team played over the course of the match — including their resolve on defense. Sporting, meanwhile, were left to lament an ongoing decline in form since their manager departed earlier in the season.