DORTMUND, Germany, Oct 30 (Reuter) - Atletico Madrid struck
twice late in the first half on their way to a 2-1 win over Borussia
Dortmund 2-1 on Wednesday, avenging a home defeat in the
European Champions' League two weeks ago.
The victory took them to the top of group B on goal difference.
Atletico had their Yugoslav striker Milinko Pantic to thank for a
scintillating spell just before halftime which unhinged Dortmund's
badly depleted defence. From then on the German champions
rarely looked like repeating their 1-0 win in Madrid.
Dortmund could have guaranteed themselves a place in the last
eight with a win. Both sides have now won three of four games
played.
``We had enough fit players to take up the baton but after 30
minutes they just handed it to Atletico,'' said disappointed
Dortmund coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.
``Our problem was mental, not physical. At this level you have to
make the running for 45 minutes in the first half and not let your
opponents take over.''
Initially, Dortmund, missing defensive linchpin Matthias Sammer
with an injury and suspended international full back Juergen Kohler,
looked able to control the game by sitting back and
counter-attacking.
Heiko Herrlich gave Madrid's offside trap the slip from a pass by
Julio Cesar in the 17th minute to drill a low shot past goalkeeper
Jose Francisco Molina.
The German champions could have had more but for some
desperate tackles and fouls by Atletico's stretched defence.
But on the half hour Atletico exploded into life, making their
individual skills pay against an inexperienced Dortmund defence.
Yugoslav striker Milinko Pantic had Dortmund goalkeeper Stefan
Klos at full stretch from a free kick, then left his marker Paul
Lambert for dead to whip a shot against the far post from an acute
angle.
Eight minutes from halftime stand-in defenders Knut Reinhardt and
Steinar Pedersen, making his debut in European competition,
allowed Roberto a free header from a corner to give Atletico the
equaliser.
Five minutes later, from a free kick near the corner flag, Pantic got
the reward his flashes of brilliance deserved as he curled the ball
around Klos and in off the far post.
The second half lacked the excitement of the first.
Dortmund substitute Lars Ricken had a chance to equalise in the
72nd minute, four minutes after joining the action. But with Molina
out of his goal, Santi was in the right place to clear Ricken's
full-blooded drive off the goal-line.
Teams:
Borussia Dortmund - 1-Stefan Klos, 7-Stefan Reuter, 25-Steinar
Pedersen, 5-Julio Cesar, 23-Rene Tretschok (18-Lars Ricken
68), 14-Paul Lambert (22-Jovan Kirovski 82), 10-Andreas
Moeller, 8-Michael Zorc, 2-Knut Reinhardt, 11-Heiko Herrlich,
9-Stephane Chapuisat
Atletico Madrid - 1-Jose Francisco Molina, 20-Delfi Geli (5-Juan
Manuel Lopez 60), 6-Santi, 4-Roberto Solozabal, 3-Toni,
18-Roberto, 24-Radek Bejbl, 10-Milinko Pantic (15-Carlos
Aguilera 84) 8-Juan Vizcaino, 9-Juan Esnaider (2-Pablo 78),
19-Kiko
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr Vladica Trenkic | Numerical Modelling Group, | Tel: +44 (0)115 9515151x2055 | Department of Electrical | Fax: +44 (0)115 9515616 | & Electronic Engineering, | E-mail: vmt@eee.nott.ac.uk | University of Nottingham, | http://www.nml.eee.nott.ac.uk/~vmt | United Kingdom | -----------------------------------------------------------------------