Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Chelsea: Karim Adeyemi stunner after Joao Felix miss sees German side take lead to London
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Updated 15/02/2023 at 23:04 GMT
Chelsea will need to come from behind in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Borussia Dortmund after the German side secured a 1-0 win in the first leg at Westfalenstadion. Graham Potter's side had their chances, but could not convert and were caught on the counter-attack. Karim Adeyemi's wonder goal, in which he streaked the length of the pitch, proved the difference.
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Borussia Dortmund beat Chelsea 1-0 in the Champions League last 16 first leg thanks to a stunning solo goal from Karim Adeyemi.
Adeyemi’s brilliantly executed solo strike midway through the second half dealt a further blow to Graham Potter’s Chelsea, who lost for the fourth time in 2023.
The second leg at Stamford Bridge is on Tuesday, March 7.
After a frenetic opening to the tie, which saw Nico Schlotterbeck make an eye-catching sliding tackle on Mykhaylo Mudryk as the Ukrainian looked to burst free into the box, Dortmund’s Sebastien Haller had the first meaningful chance of the game when he struck the side netting shortly before the half hour mark.
In the 37th minute, Joao Felix had Chelsea’s best chance when he crashed a shot off the crossbar.
Kai Havertz laid the ball off to the Portugal international on the break, but he was off-balance and under heavy pressure from Marius Wolf when he got his shot away.
Chelsea looked re-energised in the opening stages of the second half and the visitors almost broke deadlock in the 55th minute. Reece James’ swerving free-kick was parried over the bar by Gregor Kobel.
But it was Dortmund who went in front after a clinical counter-attack. From a Chelsea corner, Adeyemi picked the ball up in his own half, outpaced Enzo Fernandez and rounded Kepa Arrizabalaga before slotting the ball into the empty net.
Chelsea almost found an equaliser in the 77th minute when Kalidou Koulibaly drove a shot on goal from close range, but after it had squirmed away from Kobel, Emre Can slid in to clear off the line.
TALKING POINT – Chelsea need a striker
Since Potter has been in charge of Chelsea they have scored just 25 goals in his 24 matches. Chelsea had eight shots on target compared to Dortmund’s two, but it has become more explicitly clear they need a striker who can be clinical in the final third.
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Joao Felix of Chelsea reacts during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg one match between Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea FC at Signal Iduna Park on February 15, 2023 in Dortmund, Germany.
Image credit: Getty Images
There was evidence of Felix, Mudryk and Ziyech combining well behind Havertz, but having a poacher in front of goal is what Chelsea need.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Karim Adeyemi
The in-form 21-year-old constantly threatened Mudryk and Chilwell down the right, to the point where Potter felt compelled to substitute both players, and his goal was excellently taken.
PLAYER RATINGS
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel (7), Wolf (7), Sule (6), Schlotterbeck (6), Guerreiro (6), Can (6), Brandt (6), Adeyemi (8), Bellingham (6), Ozcan (6), Haller (5)
Subs: Modeste (6), Ryerson (5), Bynoe-Gittens (N/A)
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga (6), James (6), Silva (5), Koulibaly (5), Chilwell (6), Fernandez (5), Loftus-Cheek (5), Ziyech (6), Felix (6), Mudryk (6), Havertz (6)
Subs: Cucurella (5), Mount (5)
KEY MOMENTS
37' - OFF THE BAR! SO CLOSE FROM FELIX! Havertz lays the ball on to Felix. He runs past Wolf and gets a shot away but it comes off the woodwork! It was not an easy shot to convert as he was running away from goal off balance.
55' - GREAT SAVE BY KOBEL! James, who won the free-kick, bends his strike looking for the top corner but Kobel leaps towards it and parries away! Fine stop.
63' - WHAT A GOAL FROM ADEYEMI!!! Chelsea are caught on the counter-attack! From a Chelsea corner, Adeyemi picks the ball up from inside his own half, he outpaces Fernandez, rounds Kepa and slots the ball into the empty net! Dortmund lead!
77' - OFF THE LINE! What a clearance from Can! Mount's pass to Koulibaly by the penalty spot is turned on goal. Kobel gets a hand on it but the power looked to be too much as the ball was still goalbound, but Can got back to make a sliding clearance off the line!
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