Soccer

Karim Adeyemi’s superb solo strike leaves Chelsea’s hopes in the balance

Graham Potter’s side dominated for much of the first leg but could not find a way through

Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi goes past Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to score the opening goal during the Champions League round of 16, first-leg. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images
Borussia Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi goes past Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to score the opening goal during the Champions League round of 16, first-leg. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images
Jacob Steinberg at BVB Stadion
Wed Feb 15 2023 - 22:26

Borussia Dortmund 1 Chelsea 0

Now it’s time to get angry. Chelsea were slick, measured and rather impressive – until they got into the final third. Chances came, chances went, and so did control of the tie.

Somehow, despite spending much of the contest on the back foot, it was Borussia Dortmund who found the moment. Karim Adeyemi’s magnificent solo goal was enough and, for Graham Potter, there should be fury at a result that leaves Chelsea’s hopes of reaching the last eight of the Champions League in doubt before next month’s second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Much of the focus before this tie had lingered on Potter’s lack of Proper Football Man energy when decisions go against his team. But it is simply not his style to make a big noise. Potter will always do his talking in the dugout and, for all the doubts over his mentality, there have been positive glimmers from Chelsea lately; hints that the project could work if the coach is given time to grow into his role.

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Potter has made much of the need for his team to gel. Equally, though, sometimes football is an easy language. Some talents never have a communication problem and there were plenty of moments during the opening period when it seemed that Chelsea’s superior finances would simply prove too vast for Dortmund to resist.

Chelsea were commanding. Potter had picked the fun team – Joao Felix off Kai Havertz, creativity and pace out wide, Kalidou Koulibaly in a back four on his first start since January 11th – and the start was as promising as you might have expected from a team with a €120 million world champion in midfield.

Dortmund had nowhere near as much star power, even with Adeyemi lively on the left and Jude Bellingham an elegant presence in midfield. The press was furious but the high line was less convincing. It was a dangerous tactic with Mykhailo Mudryk on the left. The winger almost burst through straight away, only for Nico Schlotterbeck to stop him, and Dortmund soon looked vulnerable, especially as their midfield was not tight enough to Enzo Fernandez and nobody was picking up Felix.

There was a fluidity to Chelsea’s football. Was it a vision of the future? Mason Mount was on the bench again and there was no shortage of possibilities whenever Felix, who linked well with Havertz, had the ball.

The only disappointment was Felix’s shoddy finishing during the first half. Twice the forward let Dortmund off the hook; first when he blazed over from Hakim Ziyech’s cutback, then when he snaked through and crashed a shot against the bar.

Chelsea, who also had a goal disallowed for handball by Thiago Silva, are still not ruthless enough. That encouraged Dortmund, who went close when Sebastien Haller flashed a shot wide. Julian Brandt also bent just wide as the interval approached, while Koulibaly blocked Adeyemi’s route to goal.

Koulibaly’s presence alongside Thiago was a reminder of the frenzied spending. Able to name only three of his January signings in his Champions League squad, Potter had found no room for Benoit Badiashile, even though the centre back has been excellent since joining from Monaco. The sacrifice meant bringing in Koulibaly – £34 million last summer, bags of experience at this level – and Potter also had the luxury of rotating his expensive left backs, with Ben Chilwell catching the eye after replacing Marc Cucurella.

Dortmund were in danger of being overrun in midfield, where Bellingham was fortunate not to be sent off for a foul when he was already on a booking, and they briefly responded by switching to a back three at the start of the second half.

Chelsea kept pushing. Reece James, disciplined at first, decided to maraud forward. One run from the Chelsea right back caused panic in the Dortmund defence, forcing Emre Can into a desperate foul on the edge of the area. It took a fine save from Gregor Kobel to repel James’s free-kick.

Kobel was soon repelling James again. A breakthrough was on the cards. Chelsea were on top, forcing a succession of dangerous set-pieces, the pressure growing. Then, out of nothing, Dortmund struck. Much of their threat had come from Adeyemi, who had wriggled down the left and created a rare chance for Brandt, and Chelsea were in trouble when the winger suddenly found himself with room to attack after another corner was cleared.

Where was the structure? Had Chelsea got too cocky? Whatever the reason, Adeyemi would make them pay. Fernandez, the last man back, could not live with the 21-year-old. Adeyemi was too quick, too slippery, and he had the composure when he ran clear, rounding Kepa Arrizabalaga and tapping into the empty net.

Chelsea responded by bringing on Mount and Cucurella. They raised the pace again and Koulibaly almost equalised, only for Kobel to come to the rescue again. Against the odds, Dortmund stood firm. – Guardian