Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Lazio: Lucien Favre’s men held to a draw in crunch Champions League match

With an array of heavy artillery left out of the line-up, the hunters became the hunted as Borussia Dortmund squandered a goal lead against an inspired Lazio side.

A spell-binding final of half hour of attacking football by the Italians came close to earning all three points after Ciro Immobile struck a controversial penalty with 23 minutes to go.

The soft penalty came via a Nico Schulz challenge just millimetres inside the box in which the striker fell dramatically to the ground despite the defender winning the ball.

Immobile nearly pushed further salt down the gaping wound in the 86th minute, only for goalkeeper Roman Burki to pull over a brilliant diving stop.

Lazio badly needed a win to avoid a do-or-die shootout with Club Brugge next week for a place in the knockout stages. The Germans still confirmed their progression to the knockout stages with the draw.

Dortmund entered the fixture knowing victory would secure top spot in their group, and crucially progression to the next stage.

But Lucien Favre’s side were already facing an uphill battle — against the only side they have been beaten by in this campaign — before a ball had been kicked.

Their world-feared finisher Erling Braut Haaland was out injured alongside senior full backs Thomas Meunier and Marcel Schmelzer and fellow star playmaker Jadon Sancho.

The usual back four was forcibly converted to three and the fountain of youth was sprayed across the line-up.

17, 18 and 20 years old respectively, starlets Jude Bellingham, Giovanni Reyna and Mateu Morey were all given starts.

And that youthful dynamism oozed from kick-off as the home side played a range of probing passes in the Italian’s half, mercilessly camping Lazio in their own half for the best part of 10 minutes.

But the fearlessness to drive forward nearly brought The Eagles a goal against the run of play — Manuel Akanji’s careless short pass picked up by Joaquin Correa on 18 minutes but he squandered the chance when faced by keeper Roman Burki.

The ball had then been rapidly punted to the opposite penalty area to English star Bellingham, who felt he had been fouled in a 50/50 challenge with centre back Francesco Acerbi.

Play on, referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz motioned. A close but correct call.

A moment of madness had suddenly lit up this match from possessional warfare which Lazio had keenly not been obliging with.

The two sides were bobbing and weaving like two boxers replying blow for blow.

Midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic’s cross driven from the edge of the box flew inches from Acerbi’s boot.

Cue one minute later, BVB’s Thorgan Hazard jinked past a couple of defenders to rifle a shot right at keeper Reina. The rebound feel to Marco Reus, who could get the ball between Reina’s legs but not between the posts.

The plethora of wasted opportunities sprung up the obvious question — how badly is Haaland needed?

52% less win ratio when the Norwegian isn’t in the side told it all.

Dortmund’s profligacy ended with a sucker-punch one minute before half-time.

A neat pattern of fast passes lead to Hazard releasing a sublime first time through ball for Guerreiro to slide past Reina.

Their seven unconvincing first-half attempts at goal had somehow amounted to a lead. The Italians left the field with a look of disgust — the harsh vagaries of football.

That venom seeped through the formation tweak to have the forward line press further up the pitch in search for an elusive equaliser.

The home side immediately countered — Reyna’s low strike kept out by Reina.

Bellingham showed glimpses of why he earned a move from Birmingham to Borussia as he danced in the pocket behind Hazard and Reyna to cause The Eagles’ defence headaches.

Ciro Immobile often needs just the one chance and he very nearly took his with a swerving shot into the corner, only for Burki to pull off a great diving save.

And then the moment which changed the match arrived 67 minutes in. Immobile, millimetres inside the box, melted to the floor as Schulz came charging in to tackle.

He just about won the ball and the Italian theatrically hit the deck. It was soft. Penalty to Lazio.

Immobile made no mistake, tucking away the penalty and breathing life into his side’s chances.

Manager Inzaghi was not done there, he could smell three points. On came three moderately attacking substitutions immediately in Manuel Lazarri, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro and former Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira.

Both sides did not relent but Immobile very nearly had that last say with a half-volley four minutes from time sprawled out the goal by a great Burki stop.  

More to follow…