Jadon Sancho sends a message to Man United boss Erik ten Hag as he scores for Borussia Dortmund inside three minutes as they reach Champions League quarter-finals
- Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus helped Dortmund beat PSV 2-0 that evening
- The German team booked a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League
- England squad coming…who’s the wildcard pick? It’s all Kicking Off podcast
Jadon Sancho sent a timely message back to Erik ten Hag and Manchester United that he is still in it by sending Borussia Dortmund to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Sancho’s return to Germany on loan in mid-January proved to be a slow burn, with his only goal this time coming for Dortmund, ahead of this weekend’s win over Werder Bremen.
But there was nothing sluggish about this match as the United exile brought Dortmund to life and fired them ahead after just three minutes.
A breakdown on the edge of the PSV area allowed Julian Brandt to poke into the path of Sancho, who with one movement moved the ball to his right foot before firing through two pairs of legs into the bottom corner, with the help of the after.
In front of the noisy Yellow Wall, he ran towards them, mobbed by teammates for what was his first Champions League goal in 840 days. When he let out a shout of relief in celebration, it’s safe to say it was a long time coming.
Jadon Sancho sent a timely message back to Erik ten Hag as he scored Borussia Dortmund’s opener in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against PSV Eindhoven
He found a yard on the edge of the penalty area and buried his strike into the bottom left corner
Sancho reunited with Dortmund and left Old Trafford in January after falling out with Ten Hag
‘It was his first goal, not his last; we are quite sure of that,” boss Edin Terzic predicted in the run-up to kick-off.
He knew better than anyone that Sancho, making his first Champions League appearance for Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park since December 2020 against Lazio, had been waiting for the launch in his second spell – now he has it.
“He showed that he is full of fun, wants to play and wants to help us. It’s just a matter of time before he shines again.’
If there was any shine to be taken off this night of nights for Sancho, it was that he left limping across the pitch in the 75th minute after picking up a hamstring injury. Only time will tell how long that will sideline him.
Dortmund were on the rise in the early stages, making PSV look like rabbits in the headlights as the home side swarmed attack after attack, with Sancho and Donyell Malan at the heart of it on the right.
Malen shouted at referee Daniele Orsato for a penalty 10 minutes after Sancho’s opener when Sergino Dest tried to cut off Malen. Neither Orsato nor the VAR were affected.
PSV soon set their eyes on those headlights and started stretching out, but Luuk de Jong was starved of good service in attack.
Peter Bosz sent on Hirving Lozano at half-time and he made an almost immediate impact when his piledriver from outside the area hit the outside of the post. A rarity, but the Yellow Wall paused to take a deep breath.
Niclas Fullkrug thought he had made the decision when he came on in place of Marco Reus shortly after Sancho’s departure.
His long-range effort immediately put Dortmund ahead in the crucial second leg
The winger limped off injured in the 75th minute at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday
Marco Reus put the match beyond doubt with Dortmund’s second deep into stoppage time
The VAR took a look and ruled that the German striker was marginally offside.
It started with joy for him and ultimately ended in despair, but this would be Sancho’s night and it will not be lost on the people of Manchester.
