Soccer

Dortmund progress despite defeat to Zenit

German side into last eight of Champions League thanks to first leg result in Russia

Borussia Dortmund’s Kevin Grosskreutz, coach Juergen Klopp and Sokratis Papastathopoulos (l-r) after their Champions League round of 16 second leg match against Zenit St Petersburg. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/Reuters
Borussia Dortmund’s Kevin Grosskreutz, coach Juergen Klopp and Sokratis Papastathopoulos (l-r) after their Champions League round of 16 second leg match against Zenit St Petersburg. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/Reuters
Wed Mar 19 2014 - 21:54

Borussia Dortmund 1 Zenit St Petersburg 2

(Borussia win 5-4 on aggregate)

Borussia Dortmund lost 2-1 to visitors Zenit St Petersburg on Wednesday but advanced 5-4 on aggregate to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the second successive season.

Dortmund, last year's runners-up who won 4-2 in Russia in the first leg, fell a goal behind when Hulk thundered Zenit into the lead with an unstoppable long-range effort in the 16th minute.

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Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl settled the hosts' nerves when he headed in the equaliser in the 38th minute. But the visitors retook the lead in the 72nd minute through substitute Jose Rondon's diving header.

Dortmund held on in a scrappy finale and the 2-1 defeat was enough to send them into the last eight as the second German team along with Bayern Munich.