BVB beat Spurs

Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Tottenham

(Aubameyang 30', Reus 61', 70')

Borussia Dortmund will head to White Hart Lane next week for the second leg with a three-goal advantage in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League. Goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus sealed a comfortable home win as the second-placed Bundesliga side took a step closer to the quarterfinals.

The resounding nature of the first leg win over the second-placed English Premier League outfit was especially noteworthy. Borussia Dortmund were forceful in their midfield dominance despite key man Ilkay Gundogan dropping out of the squad altogether this week due to a foot injury. Instead, the precocious 20-year-old Julian Weigl orchestrated the game.

Christian Eriksen, the former Ajax midfielder, dashed into space and fired on target after just 30 seconds. But the Dane's strike was as promising as it got for the visitors who made seven changes from their 2-2 draw with Arsenal last week. Castro, the replacement for Gundogan in midfield, couldn't direct his half volley on target after Marco Reus had cushioned the ball down in the box.

A minute later, Aubameyang's smooth through ball found Durm, who had made a rampaging run inside, but the 23-year-old finished wide of Hugo Lloris' goal. Durm retained his starting berth from the weekend's goalless draw against Bayern Munich and was handed the license to meander around freely the edge of the box.

This was a nightmare situation for the Spurs defenders. There was no let up in Durm's energetic running and pressing. Dortmund's rip-roaring start should have been rewarded on 13 minutes when Henrikh Mkhitaryan's shot was fumbled by Lloris into the path of Aubameyang, but Dortmund's top scorer was caught narrowly offside.

Even the excellent Weigl hit the target with a long-range strike. But on 30 minutes, the home side took a more than deserved lead at the Westfalenstadion. Marcel Schmelzer eagerly joined the attack on the left-flank and his cross was met excellently by Aubameyang, who headed in his 33rd goal of the season.

Emphatic win

Aubameyang was typically alert in-and-around the penalty box, but the second goal evaded him early in the second period. The Gabon striker clipped the ball delicately over Lloris when faced with the diving French keeper, straight into the path of Castro who could only hit the woodwork.

Just after the hour mark, Reus hammered in Dortmund's second of the night. Castro's cross was flicked to the back post by substitute Neven Subotic and the German international thumped into the net from a tight angle. Despite shrugging off injuries and being in perhaps the best health for some time, Reus hadn't managed to find the net since the 2-0 win over Porto - and the relief was palpable.

Ten minutes later, Castro was the creator for Reus once more, clipping the ball superbly into the striker's path and he made no mistake from close-range, drilling in his 20th career goal in European competitions.

Adrian Ramos and Shinji Kagawa were introduced late on by Thomas Tuchel with Dortmund in control. Harry Kane and Moussa Dembele were given a shot towards the end, but Mauricio Pochettino's men clearly had their attention on domestic success. Title favorites Dortmund, who have now won 10 of 20 European meetings against English opposition, head to north London full of confidence for the second leg next Thursday.