April 11, (THEWILL) – Atlético Madrid took a slender 2-1 lead into the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night.
Dominating proceedings in the opening 45 minutes at the Metropolitano Stadium, Diego Simeone’s side struck early through Rodrigo De Paul’s clinical finish. The hosts then doubled their advantage just before the break, with Samuel Lino slotting home from Antoine Griezmann’s exquisite assist.
Dortmund’s defensive woes were evident throughout the first half, with a catastrophic mix-up between Mats Hummels and Nico Schlotterbeck playing a significant role in Atlético’s second goal.
The German side showed signs of a revival after the interval, with half-time substitute Julian Brandt going close. Edin Terzic then introduced Sebastien Haller, and the Ivorian striker duly pulled one back with a brilliant strike to halve the deficit.
However, Atlético held firm in the closing stages, protecting their slender lead ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg at the Westfalenstadion. Dortmund will be hoping they can find the reserves to claw through a comeback, but Simeone’s men will be confident of progressing to the semi-finals after this impressive first-leg performance.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
