Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund finished with a 1-1 draw on Tuesday, a result that left the Spanish club eliminated from the Champions League after a match that showed moments of quality from both sides.
With Dortmund clinging to second place, Sevilla needed victories in their remaining two fixtures and for Dortmund to drop points in order to advance. The math was simple, yet the path was narrow: eliminate the German side from the standings and keep hope alive for a spot in the knockout rounds.
Sevilla started strongly, controlling much of the first half and taking the lead through a free kick converted by Tanguy Nianzou 18 minutes into the game, following a setup by Ivan Rakitic from the left flank.
Until that moment, Sevilla had neutralized Dortmund and crafted a promising chance near the edge of the box when Rakitic combined with Jesus Navas at the 12th minute, signaling intent and danger for the visitors.
The only significant moment in Sevilla’s defensive third arrived in the 25th minute when Adeyemi intercepted a ball but failed to find a teammate in a dangerous central position, leaving Anthony Modeste unattended before a potential scoring opportunity.
Dortmund responded to the early pressure by regaining control of the tempo. A counterattack started by Julian Brandt in the 32nd minute unsettled Sevilla, with Donyell Malen racing through and forcing a save into the hands of the goalkeeper Bono after a deft touch from the ball.
The equalizer arrived in the 35th minute when Jude Bellingham showed his quality. He received a pass on the right wing, cut inside, and then delivered a curling finish with his right foot that found the far corner, leveling the score before the break.
Bellingham added another chance just before halftime, firing from the edge of the box as a ball from the crescent found him unmarked, only for the effort to drift wide of the post.
In the second half, Dortmund carried more momentum and looked sharper going forward, applying pressure higher up the pitch. Raphael Guerreiro and Tom Rothe were active in the flanks, and their pressure began to test Sevilla’s defense more persistently.
Sevilla’s best moment came in the 68th minute when a corner kick created a scramble in front of goal, with Gregor Kobel needing quick reactions to parry the ball away and prevent an equalizer for the home side.
Dortmund’s attack remained a threat, and their best opportunity for a late comeback arrived with a looping header by Mats Hummels in the 79th minute, headed in from another corner, though it did not change the final result.
– Data sheet:
1 – Borussia Dortmund: Kobel; Meunier (Schlotterbeck, 83), Süle, Hummels, Rothe (Guerreiro, 46); Bellingham, Ozcan; Malen (Reyna, 71), Brandt, Adeyemi (Hazard, 71); Modeste (Moukoko, 64).
1 – Sevilla: Bono; Carmona, Nianzou, Maŕcao (Jordan, 91); Navas (Montiel, 91), Rakitic, Gudelj, Acuña (Tellez, 71); Lamela, Suso (Januzaj, 59); Nesiry (Isco, 59).
targets: 0-1, 18 minutes: Nianzou. 1-1, 35 minutes: Bellingham.
Judge: Srdjan Jovanovic (Serbia). Gudelj warned Özcan, Bono and Sevilla coach Jorge Sampaoli.
Events: The Champions League group stage match was played in front of 80,000 spectators at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.
Notes: This report reflects the on-field events and official statistics as observed during the match. Marked citations provide attribution to the official competition records and post-match analyses.