LOSC Lille 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (2-3 agg): Dortmund complete second-half comeback to secure Champions League quarter-final spot

Borussia Dortmund showcased their resilience to advance to the Champions League quarter-finals for the second consecutive season with a 2-1 comeback victory over Lille in the last-16 second leg on Wednesday. Second-half goals from Emre Can and Maximilian Beier sealed a hard-fought win, completing a 3-2 aggregate triumph.

After Jonathan David’s early strike put Lille ahead, Can restored parity from the penalty spot before Beier delivered the decisive goal, sending the German club—Champions League winners in 1997 and last season’s runners-up—into a showdown with Barcelona for a place in the semi-finals.

Lille, aiming for a historic first appearance in the quarter-finals, saw their impressive campaign come to an agonizing end. They had directly qualified for the knockout stage from the league phase, registering notable wins over European giants Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

"We are extremely relieved because, on the one hand, it was enough to progress and, on the other, because we also put in a really good performance," Dortmund midfielder Sebastian Kehl said. "We had many, many chances to score in the first half."

Despite Lille’s promising start—Jonathan David slotting home Ismaily’s cutback in the fifth minute after a goalkeeping lapse by Gregor Kobel—Dortmund gradually asserted control. The German side came close to equalizing multiple times before finally breaking through in the second half.

Can’s coolly taken penalty in the 54th minute, following Thomas Meunier’s foul on Serhou Guirassy, shifted the momentum. Beier then capped off the comeback in the 65th minute with a clinical finish into the top corner after a sharp turn.

Dortmund, currently 10th in the Bundesliga, maintained defensive composure in the closing stages, ensuring Lille never found a way back.

SportsLigue