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‘One of the best in the world’ – Haaland stars as Dortmund beat Sevilla
SEVILLE, Spain, Feb 18, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Erling Braut Haaland produced
another deadly display of finishing with a first-half brace as Borussia
Dortmund came from behind to beat Sevilla 3-2 in Spain in the first leg of
their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.
Suso’s deflected strike gave last season’s Europa League winners an early
lead behind closed doors at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, but Mahmoud
Dahoud soon equalised before Haaland took over.
The Norway phenomenon put Dortmund in front in the 27th minute and then
scored again two minutes before half-time, the goals taking him to 25 in 24
appearances this season in all competitions.
Still aged just 20, he has scored 18 times in just 13 Champions League
appearances since the start of last season.
Substitute Luuk de Jong’s late reply gave Sevilla cause for hope heading
into the return leg on March 9, but Dortmund remain favourites to progress to
the quarter-finals.
“We didn’t deserve to lose, but in the end they had one of the best players
in the world up front and he made the difference in three situations which
could have been avoided,” said Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui.
Haaland, who also set up Dahoud’s equaliser, produced a performance, in the
first half at least, which showcased his remarkable strength, hold-up play
and pace as well as his brilliant finishing.
– Nine-game winning run ended –
It was too much for a Sevilla side who had come into this tie with high
hopes, having only been beaten by La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid, away, in
their previous 19 outings.
Lopetegui’s team had won their previous nine matches on the bounce and had
kept seven straight clean sheets before the arrival of Dortmund and Haaland.
“This was one of our best performances of the season,” Dortmund coach Edin
Terzic, who replaced the sacked Lucien Favre after the group phase, told Sky.
“We are pleased with the result and proud to have beaten such a team.”
Sevilla have won the Europa League or its predecessor, the UEFA Cup, an
incredible six times since 2005, but only once have they got past the last 16
of the Champions League, when they beat Manchester United in 2018 before
losing to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
The quality of Haaland was the difference here as Dortmund, having sunk to
sixth in the Bundesliga on a poor run of form, came to life on their return
to the Champions League.
“We had a good plan. Edin has been good and I’ve been talking a lot with
him. He said today would be my game and that I would get my chances and I
did, so it was an important win,” Haaland told DAZN.
Yet the game had started well for Sevilla, with Suso opening the scoring in
the seventh minute, his shot deflecting in off Mats Hummels.
Dortmund drew level in the 19th minute as Haaland showed terrific strength
to hold the ball up on the right before coming infield and feeding Dahoud,
who worked his way into position to fire a superb shot high into net from
just outside the area.
It was the first goal Sevilla had conceded in more than 12 hours of
football.
Eight minutes later they conceded again.
Haaland dropped deep, collecting possession near the halfway line, and then
turned and charged towards goal, playing a pass to Jadon Sancho on the edge
of the box and then continuing on to place the return ball past goalkeeper
Yassine Bounou.
He struck again two minutes before half-time, slotting home first-time
after Marco Reus had stolen the ball from the feet of Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez
before bearing down on goal.
However, Sevilla dominated the second half as Dortmund sat back, and the
hosts got a potentially crucial second goal six minutes from the end.
Oscar Rodriguez’s high, hanging free-kick was turned into the net by De
Jong, giving them something to cling to.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 0841 hrs