After harsh red card: BVB disappoint in Tottenham defeat | OneFootball

After a weak first half and an early red card, Borussia Dortmund loses 0-2 to Tottenham Hotspur. BVB misses an important step towards direct qualification for the round of 16.

Borussia Dortmund had to endure a bitter defeat at Tottenham Hotspur and missed a crucial step towards direct qualification for the Champions League round of 16. In the 0-2 loss in London, the Black and Yellows appeared too harmless for large parts of the game – and played with one man down for more than an hour after an early red card.

BVB had high hopes for the duel with the Spurs, who were equal on points. However, little of that was evident on the field. Dortmund completely missed the start and fell behind as early as the 14th minute. After a corner, the defense failed to clear the ball, and Tottenham capitalized on the disarray to take the lead. Even before that, the hosts had repeatedly hinted that they could punish Dortmund's early weakness.

The next setback followed shortly after: Daniel Svensson lost the ball in the build-up play and then hit his opponent with an open sole. Referee Glenn Nyberg decided on a red card after a VAR intervention – Dortmund was now down to ten men and faced a monumental task. Tottenham then took full control, while BVB found little relief.

Before the break, the Premier League club increased the lead to 2-0. A simple attack down the right side was enough to dismantle Dortmund's defense. Once again, there was a lack of grip in the center, and the shot found its way into the net. Indicative of the visitors' performance: BVB did not manage a single shot on goal in the entire first half.

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Coach Niko Kovac responded at halftime with a clear signal and aimed for damage control. Offensive players Julian Brandt and Serhou Guirassy had to make way for Emre Can and Julian Ryerson. Dortmund appeared more stable after the break but remained largely harmless in attack. The best opportunity came from a free kick that narrowly missed the target.

Tottenham shifted down a gear in the second half but remained more dangerous than BVB at all times. Several times, additional goals seemed imminent, while Dortmund rarely found itself in promising positions to score. Although the team showed fighting spirit and tried to gain control, genuine goal threats were scarce.

In the end, it was a deserved defeat that significantly worsens Dortmund's position in the Champions League. With only slim chances for direct qualification for the round of 16, the Black and Yellows must now face Inter Milan on the final matchday to fight for advancement.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.