Wild scorpion kick triggers injury time red card chaos

Two red playing cards, a VAR overturn and a decisive transformed penalty with the final kick of the sport.

All of that occurred within the last seconds of a Champions League thriller between Atalanta and Borussia Dortmund on Thursday morning (AEDT), and it in the end ensured there’ll nonetheless be Italian illustration in Europe’s prime membership competitors.

Atalanta superior to the spherical of 16 by capping an unlikely turnaround when Lazar Samardzic curled a penalty into the highest nook within the eighth minute of stoppage time to clinch a 4-1 win on the night time and a 4-3 victory on mixture.

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Dortmund, the runner-up in 2024, had arrived with a 2-0 lead from the primary leg.

“Everybody had written us off,” stated Davide Zappacosta, one in all Atalanta’s scorers, “however … we all the time consider and we by no means quit.”

Nonetheless, Atalanta wanted a serving to hand.

Further time was looming when a mistake by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel allowed Atalanta to launch one final assault, after the allotted three minutes of stoppage time had been performed.

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A cross into the realm was about to succeed in Nikola Krstovic for a easy header into an empty web when Dortmund defender Ramy Bensebaini tried a scorpion kick which caught the Atalanta substitute on the highest of his head. Blood immediately flowed from a gash on his brow.

A nook was initially given however after a VAR verify, a penalty was awarded. Unused Dortmund substitute Nico Schlotterbeck was proven a red card on the bench for complaining and Bensebaini was proven a second yellow card for his foul. A 3rd red card was proven to an unidentified staffer within the Atalanta dugout.

Samardzic dispatched his spot kick, sparking joyous scenes contained in the stadium in Bergamo. The referee blew for full time earlier than Dortmund may restart the match.

“It is an unforgettable night time,” Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino stated, “a dream come true”.

Italy’s report of getting no less than one staff within the spherical of 16 since that stage was reintroduced to the Champions League in 2003-04 was underneath risk after Serie A champion Napoli didn’t even make the playoffs, and Inter Milan was eradicated by tiny Norwegian staff Bodø/Glimt earlier this week.

That left Atalanta and Juventus, the latter trailed Galatasaray 5-2 after the primary leg. They received the second leg 3-2 however misplaced the tie on mixture 5-7.

Atalanta is again within the final 16 for the primary time for the reason that 2020-21 season and can play both Arsenal or Bayern Munich. The draw is on Saturday morning (AEDT).

Having misplaced the primary leg, Atalanta acquired the quick begin it wanted with Gianluca Scamacca netting within the fifth minute and Zappacosta additionally scoring earlier than halftime. Mario Pašalić then headed within the third within the 57th minute to place the hosts forward on mixture.

Karim Adeyemi got here off the bench for Dortmund to make it 3-3 on mixture earlier than the late drama,

In keeping with UEFA, it marked the primary time Dortmund has did not convert on a two-goal, first-leg lead in a two-legged European matchup. The staff had executed so efficiently 10 occasions earlier than.

Within the morning’s different matches, PSG and Monaco drew 2-2 which put the French giants by way of 5-4 on mixture and Actual Madrid secured a 2-1 (3-1) win over Benfica.