Dortmund advance despite defeat at home to Zenit St Petersburg
Last year's runners-up through after 5-4 aggregate victory
Borussia Dortmund lost 2-1 to visitors Zenit St Petersburg on Wednesday but advanced 5-4 on aggregate to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the second successive season.
Dortmund, last year’s runners-up, won 4-2 in Russia in the first leg but fell a goal behind when Hulk thundered Zenit into the lead with an unstoppable long-range effort in the 16th minute.
Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl settled the hosts’ nerves when he headed in the equaliser in the 38th minute, but the visitors retook the lead in the 72nd minute through substitute Jose Rondon’s diving header.
I found this atmosphere in the stadium a bit depressing. Maybe they wanted to see a 6-1 win but that does not happen every day.
Dortmund held on in a scrappy finale and the 2-1 defeat was enough to send them into the last eight as the second German team along with Bayern Munich.
“Zenit had to come forward and they have such quality in attack,” Kehl said. “We did not have our best match today but we can leave here with a big smile on our face.”
Kehl said he was unhappy with the atmosphere in the stadium and questioned the reaction of fans who had come seemingly expecting a rout.
“I found this atmosphere in the stadium a bit depressing. Maybe they wanted to see a 6-1 win but that does not happen every day.
“We have had a lot of injuries this season but this result shows we are well prepared. So the season is not that bad as some make it out to be.”