PSV Eindhoven vs Borussia Dortmund. UEFA Champions League First Knockout Round.
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Match report after Borussia Dortmund were controversially denied a win at PSV by a contentious penalty; Donyell Malen gave the German side the lead but Mats Hummels was penalised for fouling Malik Tillman; Luuk de Jong scored the penalty to leave the last-16 tie finely poised
Tuesday 20 February 2024 23:21, UK
Borussia Dortmund were denied a Champions League last-16 victory at PSV Eindhoven by a controversial penalty which saw the Dutch side earn a 1-1 draw to take to Germany.
Dortmund were leading as Donyell Malen haunted former employers PSV by giving the German side a half-time advantage, but the first-leg hosts controversially found themselves level 10 minutes after the interval.
Mats Hummels was penalised by Serbian referee Srdjan Jovanovic for fouling Malik Tillman - despite clearly getting a slice of the ball, albeit via a strong follow-through on the PSV midfielder.
The Dortmund defender was still remonstrating with the officials as Luuk de Jong scored his spot kick, his 28th goal of a prolific season.
Both sides missed several big chances but failed to find a winner, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of the second leg on March 13.
Dortmund did not look fazed by losing their goalkeeper Gregor Kobel in the warm up as they stepped on the gas early on.
Malen tested Walter Benitez's palms with a rasping drive from the edge of the area - before Tillman blasted wide at the other end.
Niklas Fullkrug blasted over from inside the area but it was not long until the German side were ahead.
Marcel Sabitzer poked the ball onto Malen to the right of the box and the former PSV forward's near post drive off the bar was too strong for Benitez. The Dortmund striker chose not to celebrate against his former employers.
PSV were not disheartened by that early setback at familiar hands and had two good chances to level. First, Tillman was guilty of poor finishing as he headed Joey Veerman's free-kick wide. Then Bakayoko failed to finish when found unmarked at the far post from Ismael Saibari's cross.
The home side continued their ascendancy after the break and found their leveller - but not without a huge douse of controversy.
Hirving Lozano was freed down the left and he pulled the ball back for Tillman. Hummels got a big slice of the ball but also caught the PSV midfielder on the way through. Referee Jovanovic pointed to the spot, with VAR agreeing with the call.
De Jong stepped up and despite back-up goalkeeper Alexander Meyer guessing the right way, the PSV striker's spot kick was cool enough to find the net.
Dortmund, feeling a sense of injustice, went in search of another lead and Benitez denied both Malen at the near post from close range, before palming substitute Marius Wolf's exquisite flick from Ian Maatsen's free-kick.
At the other end, Saibari put a good chance over from the edge of the box, while Bakayoko should have done better than firing straight at Meyer, after beating Maatsen down the right.
In the end, we go to Dortmund in three weeks time to decide this one. But how big will the controversial penalty award be over the course of the 180 minutes?
PSV boss Peter Bosz:
"It was an open game. We had difficulty in the beginning with their pressing, but we still managed to create a few big chances, Tillman in particular in the first half. So it was a shame that we didn't take the lead, and especially because we then went behind.
"It was a very intense match, on a difficult pitch. They didn't counter very often, and we had the match under control, so in that respect it's a pity we didn't score a second. I don't think the fact that it was a Champions League match had too much impact.
"There should still be a sense of understanding of what you have to do."
Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic:
"The referee judged that there was a penalty. Our wish remains that he should look at the screen. He was very sure of his decision. We think it was a hard decision.
"The result is such that we still have everything in our own hands. It's clear that we need to win our home game. But anyway, you have to win home games if you want to achieve something.
"In the first half, we were good in the game and could often shift the ball well. In the second half, we didn't do so well, and PSV were clearly better. They are not without reason where they are. But I think that we still have a good chance of reaching the next round. We need to get it right in the home game."
The return leg will be on March 13 at Signal Iduna Park, kicking off at 8pm. PSV go to PEC Zwolle on Saturday, kick-off 7pm.
Dortmund's next game is a home Bundesliga tie against Hoffenheim, live on Sky Sports Arena, kick-off 4.30pm.
