Dortmund’s Adeyemi gives Chelsea a lesson in finishing

Borussia Dortmund will take a 1-0 lead to London for the second instalment of this intriguing contest in the last 16 of the Champions League. Chelsea’s first taste of the Westfalenstadion cauldron ended with a sense of bemusement that for all the glorious chances they created the victory was ultimately Dortmund’s.

Edin Terzic’s side came into this game with a record of six wins from six in 2023 and that confidence ran through the team as the hosts dictated the tempo of the first half – even if they failed to convert that dominance into clearcut chances. The closest they came was when Sebastien Haller, spotted by inspirational captain Jude Bellingham, rippled the side-netting.

Chelsea by contrast have won only once since the turn of the year but it was they who crafted the best openings, with the best two falling to Joao Felix before the break. The Portuguese spurned them both though, striking the bar with the latter as a goal seemed certain. If the Atletico Madrid loanee could only add more goals to his game, he’d be one of the most feared forwards around. 

Searing pace, serene finishing

With Chelsea misfiring against a Dortmund team whose flaws went unexploited, the game was there to be won. It was time for a hero: step forward, Karim Adeyemi. The 21-year-old German had already rattled elite Premier League opposition this season, giving Joao Cancelo such a headache when Manchester City visited Dortmund in October that the now-Bayern Munich defender was put out of his misery at halftime by Pep Guardiola. Adeyemi didn’t score that night but the dye was cast.

Fittingly, this game’s only goal followed a near miss at the other end, with Kai Havertz sending a glancing header flashing across goal from a Chelsea corner. Dortmund sensed their chance and broke at speed, Raphael Guerreiro found the jet-heeled Adeyemi, whose touch and searing pace left Chelsea's record signing Enzo Fernandez in his wake. He expertly rounded Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, and serenely slotted home. All in front of Germany coach Hansi Flick.

Adeyemi 'flying'

It was a moment that showcased the best of Adeyemi’s skillset and the flash of attacking quality that this compelling game deserved. It also felt like a breakout moment for Adeyemi, who has struggled to adapt at Dortmund but has now scored in three straight games for the first time since making the switch from RB Salzburg last year. Bellingham noted his teammate’s ascent.

“We’re really confident when it gets the ball one-on-one. When he really gets going there aren’t many people that can stop him," Bellingham said of Adeyemi’s goal. "He had a difficult start here but now he’s flying."

Chelsea coach Graham Potter suddenly seemed further away than ever from becoming the first English coach to win in Germany since Newcastle in Leverkusen under Bobby Robson in 2003. Kalidou Koulibaly had a shot cleared off the line by Emre Can late on, but this felt like a night when Chelsea would never score, relying on individual quality rather than uniting behind a masterplan.

Dortmund demonstrated opportunism and resilience, with Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Süle holding firm and goalkeeper Gregor Kobel singled out for praise post-match by Terzic for his commanding display.

Chelsea could yet flip things back in their favor on March 7 but this should have been a night that they celebrated a Felix-inspired victory. Instead, it was about Dortmund’s spirit and Adeyemi’s solo brilliance.