In a thrilling night of Champions League football, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund secured their places in the quarterfinals with hard-fought victories over Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven, respectively.
Atletico Madrid’s Dramatic Penalty Shootout Triumph
At the Estadio Metropolitano, Atletico Madrid faced an uphill battle after losing the first leg 1-0 to Inter Milan. However, the Spanish side showed resilience and determination, leveling the aggregate score in the first half through Antoine Griezmann’s goal.
Substitute Memphis Depay equalized late in the second half to force extra time, but neither team could find a winning goal. The match went to a penalty shootout, where Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak emerged as the hero.
Oblak saved two penalties, while Lautaro Martinez missed his spot-kick for Inter, handing Atletico a 3-2 victory in the shootout. The Spanish side advances to the quarterfinals for the second time in three years.
Sancho and Reus Lead Dortmund Past PSV
Borussia Dortmund hosted PSV Eindhoven in Germany with a 1-1 draw from the first leg. Jadon Sancho put Dortmund ahead early in the match with a well-taken goal, and Marco Reus sealed the victory in stoppage time.
Dortmund controlled the game for long periods but was wasteful in front of the goal. PSV had their chances, but Luuk de Jong missed a golden opportunity late in the match.
Dortmund’s 2-0 victory on the night gives them a 3-1 aggregate win and a place in the quarterfinals. The German side will be looking to make a deep run in the competition after reaching the final in 2013.
Quarterfinal Draw
The draw for the Champions League quarterfinals will be held on Friday, March 17. In the draw, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund will join Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain, Barcelona, and Arsenal.
The quarterfinals will be played on April 9-10 and April 16-17, with the semifinals scheduled for April 23-24 and April 30-May 1. The final will be played in Istanbul on June 10.
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