Atletico take one-goal advantage to Dortmund
Champions League: Atletico Madrid 2 Borrusia Dortmund 1
Atletico Madrid moved closer to returning to the Champions League semifinals with a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Atletico took a first-half lead with goals by Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino and outplayed Dortmund during most of the match, but the Germans stayed alive thanks to a late goal by substitute Sébastien Haller.
Dortmund twice hit the woodwork in the final minutes. The second leg will be played next Tuesday in Germany.
Atletico haven't made it to the last four since 2017, when it lost to city rival Real Madrid. The Spanish club has won three of its last six quarterfinals.
Dortmund, the 1997 European champions, are looking to return to the semifinals for the first time since 2012-13, when they lost the final to fellow German club Bayern Munich.
Atletico have won 29 of its last 32 home games across all tournaments. It was Simeone’s 50th Champions League win.
The result kept Atletico unbeaten in 18 knockout-round games at home in the Champions League — with their last defeat coming against Ajax in the quarterfinals in 1997.
Atletico Madrid: Oblak, Azpilicueta, Witsel, Gimenez, Molina, Llorente, Koke, De Paul, Samuel Dias, Griezmann, Morata.
Subs: Moldovan, Gabriel, Saul, Correa, Savic, Riquelme, Vermeeren, Mandava, Barrios, El Jebari, Gomis.
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen, Sabitzer, Can, Sancho, Nmecha, Adeyemi, Fullkrug.
Subs: Ozcan, Haller, Reus, Duranville, Wolf, Moukoko, Brandt, Sule, Meyer, Laurenz Lotka, Bynoe-Gittens.
Referee: Marco Guida (Italy)
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