Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund. UEFA Champions League First Knockout Round.
Stamford BridgeAttendance38,882.
2-1
Match report as Raheem Sterling's first-half strike and Kai Havertz's penalty seal a 2-1 aggregate win for Chelsea over Borussia Dortmund; Blues take their place in the Champions League quarters; victory eases pressure on head coach Graham Potter
Wednesday 8 March 2023 08:31, UK
Kai Havertz's retaken penalty helped Chelsea move into the Champions League quarter-finals as they overturned a one-goal deficit from the first leg to beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on aggregate.
Havertz sent his initial effort against the post after Marius Wolf was penalised for handball but a re-take was ordered due to encroachment and the Germany international held his nerve, picking the same spot and converting at the second attempt (53).
For Dortmund, the decision to award Havertz's penalty and then allow him to retake it left a bitter taste. "It is a yard or two away," said midfielder Jude Bellingham of the handball. "That in itself was disappointing, but the fact they had a retake is a joke.
"For every penalty with such a slow run up there is going to be encroachment by people running into the box by a yard or so, but that's the game. They've made the decision. We have to live with it."
Emre Can added: "To give a second penalty? I just don't understand it. He [Havertz] hit the post, end of story. The referee was arrogant all game... we're playing in Stamford Bridge.
"Maybe he was afraid of the fans, no idea but then maybe UEFA should send another referee. It's just not on."
Raheem Sterling had earlier levelled the tie on aggregate with a powerful strike from the centre of the box from Ben Chilwell's cut-back (43) following a positive start by the hosts at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea, buoyed by Saturday's much-needed 1-0 win over Leeds in the Premier League, came into the game having only scored twice in their previous seven games but finally found some cutting edge in front of goal, the victory keeping their European dream alive and relieving some of the pressure on head coach Graham Potter.
"To win a game to go into the last eight of the Champions League you'd have to say it's up there with wins and evenings in my career," said Potter.
After a delay of 10 minutes to the kick-off time due to traffic around Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were quickly onto the front foot, Joao Felix seeing an early effort charged down by Alexander Meyer before Havertz fired wildly over when put through on goal.
Dortmund weathered the early storm and went close themselves when a Marco Reus free-kick forced an acrobatic save from Kepa Arrizabalaga, but Chelsea were soon in the ascendency again.
They moved the ball forward with speed and directness and, despite some sloppiness in possession, the approach saw them create a succession of first-half chances, with Havertz crashing a shot off the inside of the post which whistled across the goal-line.
Havertz then thought he had opened the scoring when a second effort thundered in off the underside of the bar after Sterling had been denied by Meyer, but the linesman raised his flag, with VAR showing Sterling to be just offside in the build-up.
It felt like a familiar story for Chelsea, even more so when the unmarked Kalidou Koulibaly mis-kicked a Chilwell corner with Meyer stranded, and Felix then saw his follow-up effort blocked.
But the breakthrough finally arrived when Chilwell accelerated into the Dortmund box on the left and cut the ball back for Sterling, who fired home at the second attempt after initially failing to make a proper connection with his shot.
Chelsea were indebted to Chilwell again when he showed impressive alertness at the other end to prevent Raphael Guerreiro from going through on goal just before the break, and their second arrived soon after play resumed after half-time.
Dortmund felt the penalty award was harsh given Wolf's proximity to Chilwell when the wing-back's attempted cross struck his hand, but referee Danny Makkelie was unmoved by their protests having consulted the pitch-side monitor.
Chelsea were then handed a reprieve when a re-take was ordered for encroachment by players from both sides after Havertz had sent his effort against the upright, but he finished clinically with his second, once again stuttering his run-up as he picked the same spot.
Dortmund had the better of things after that as they attempted to claw a goal back and force extra time, but Chelsea withstood the visitors' pressure, with Jude Bellingham sending a glorious chance wide and Wolf seeing a diagonal effort saved by Kepa.
In the end, the one-goal aggregate advantage proved sufficient for the hosts, with a delighted Potter joining the celebrations on the pitch afterwards, the victory keeping their hopes of Champions League glory alive despite their Premier League struggles.
Chelsea boss Graham Potter told BT Sport: "There is a lot of emotion in the end. It was tense in the end but the boys played fantastic. I am delighted for them to get the win and great for everyone here.
"There was a fantastic feeling in the dressing room. We have been through a tough period and this competition means a lot for us. We wanted to progress and get into the last eight and it sets us up for the next few weeks.
"We have to recover and prepare for Saturday when we play Leicester. It is great for the boys, two clean sheets after a tough period. You get that in life and it is about how you respond and the players have been fantastic.
"It was important we put pressure on them and get the crowd with us. It is not easy to do because they are a top team playing with confidence.
"Credit to the players they gave everything and over the two games I thought we deserved to go through."
Asked what he knew about the decision for Havertz to retake his penalty, he added: "Not a massive amount to be honest. I knew they had encroached.
"It was between him or Reece [to take it]. Sometimes they have to feel it on the pitch. Obviously we have confidence in Kai. I wasn't watching it but delighted when I heard the roar. Taking penalties is not for me, so I am in awe of anybody [who does]."
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, speaking to BT Sport about the penalty decision: "I've not seen the incident back, from where I was it looked pretty close, I'm not sure what more you can do with the hands."
After watching the replay, he added: "It is a yard or two away. I am not too sure. I don't want to get in trouble. That in itself was disappointing but the fact they had a retake is a joke.
"For every penalty with such a slow run up there is going to be encroachment by people running into the box by a yard or so, but that's the game. They've made the decision and we have to live with it."
Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic said: "Congratulations to Chelsea. I think it was very tight game. In these kinds of games, inches or moments decide whether you go to the next round or not.
"There were some moments when we were unlucky but this is also part of the game, so we won't complain.
"I think both teams deserved to go to the next round but tonight, Chelsea scored twice, we haven't, so we can't complain about getting dropped out of the Champions League.
"If a decision takes about five or six minutes then it's not easy to make a call," he added of the decision to order the penalty retake.
"But as the manager of the team, I 'm responsible for the performance of the team and the performance of the staff, but not the performance of the referee. We didn't speak about the referee a lot last week and we won't start with that tonight."
Chelsea return to Premier League action with an away trip to Leicester City on Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.
The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals takes place on March 17, with the first and second legs to be played on April 11,12 and April 18, 19.
