In a thrilling Group F match on Tuesday at the San Siro, Borussia Dortmund defeated AC Milan 3-1 to secure their place in the Champions League round of 16.
Dortmund led the group with 10 points thanks to goals from Marco Reus, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, and Karim Adeyemi. Paris Saint-Germain, who drew 1-1 with Newcastle United, came in second with seven points.
Milan, who now have the fewest points from their five games, can yet finish in the top two if they triumph at Newcastle and Dortmund defeats PSG in the last round of games the following month.
When Milan was given a penalty in the sixth minute due to a handball, Gregor Kobel of Dortmund made an incredible stop to keep Olivier Giroud from scoring. Milan could have taken the lead at that point.
Four minutes later, the roles were reversed when Reus, a midfielder for Dortmund, gave the visitors the lead with a penalty kick after Davide Calabria had fouled Bynoe-Gittens.
Eight minutes before the break, Samuel Chukwueze equalized for Milan from inside the box, his first goal for the seven-time European winners since joining from Villarreal in La Liga in July.
For the first forty-five minutes, Rafael Leao was missing due to a thigh injury he sustained in a Serie A encounter two weeks prior. Chukwueze did a great job in his place.
But after the break, the hosts lost their intensity, and shortly before the hour, Dortmund’s 19-year-old Bynoe-Gittens gave them the lead again with a low strike from the edge of the box after a superb cross from Marcel Sabitzer.
In the 69th minute, substitute Adeyemi made it 3-1 after Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan twice attempted to block his hard effort, but the ball somehow crossed the goal line.
Three minutes after Milan’s Luka Jovic struck the post with a header, Dortmund’s Niclas Fullkrug narrowly missed extending the lead with his shot two minutes from time.
Dortmund’s Champions League campaign started with a 2-0 loss in Paris, followed by a goalless draw at home against Milan. However, Dortmund’s victory over Newcastle, both at home and away (1-0 and 2-0), gave their campaign new life.
If they stave off a home loss against PSG, they will be declared the winners of the group.