Borussia Dortmund 1-2 Manchester City: Hits and flops as Cityzens reach semis | UEFA Champions League 2020-21 

Second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden helped Manchester City complete a 2-1 comeback win at Borussia Dortmund and a 4-2 aggregate victory to reach their first UEFA Champions League semi-final in five years. The visitors had come into the game with a narrow advantage after triumphing 2-1 in the first leg at home.

Pep Guardiola had named a much-rotated side in last weekend's defeat to Leeds United, but he was back to his strongest starting XI in the continental competition. He made just one change from his starting lineup from the first leg, with Oleksandr Zinchenko coming in for Joao Cancelo, while Borussia Dortmund named an unchanged XI.

Manchester City expectedly dominated the game's early proceedings but having failed to make that count, they were punished when Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for the hosts.

A counterattack saw Erling Haaland hold off Ruben Dias. With the visitors struggling to clear their lines, Jude Bellingham pounced to unleash an unstoppable right-footed curler into the top corner. The goal saw the 17-year-old enter the record books, as he became BVB's youngest goal-scorer in the Champions League.

That prompted Manchester City to up the ante, and they fashioned a number of notable chances. Kevin De Bruyne hit the post, while Riyad Mahrez saw a goal-bound shot cleared off the line by Jude Bellingham.

Marwin Hitz also proved up to the task for everything thrown at him, pulling off some wonderful saves to keep Borussia Dortmund in the lead at the break.

Manchester City got a deserved leveller ten minutes into the second half through Riyad Mahrez's emphatic penalty. Emre Can had handled the ball in the area and despite vehement protests by the German, the penalty decision stood after a lengthy VAR check.

From then on, there was only going to be one winner, as Manchester City asked all the questions of the Borussia Dortmund defence.

Hitz once again did well to deny De Bruyne after the Belgium international had dribbled his way across the hosts' backline. But there was nothing the Borussia Dortmund keeper could do about the goal from the ensuing corner.

A short corner kick routine saw Bernardo Silva find Phil Foden on the edge of the area, and the England international rifled an unstoppable piledriver into the top corner.

That gave Manchester City some leeway in the fixture, as they led 4-2 on aggregate to reach their first Champions League semi-final under Pep Guardiola.

The runaway Premier League leaders will now take on Paris Saint-Germain in the last four, while Borussia Dortmund will turn their attention to the Bundesliga, where they are struggling to finish in the top four.

Expectedly, some players shone like a million stars in this game, while a few others failed to hit the heights expected. On that note, let's have a look at five hits and flops in the quarter-final second-leg clash between Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund.

Hit - Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

Kevin De Bruyne is Manchester City's most important player. After being handed a rest at the weekend, the 29-year-old was back to his dominating best against Borussia Dortmund.

He effortlessly controlled the game from the middle of the park and also charged forward in a bid to force the issue when Manchester City needed a goal. De Bruyne hit the post in the first half and also forced Hitz into a fine save in the second.

Flop - Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)

Anything Eerling Haaland has touched in the last two years has turned to gold. But the Norway international failed to find his scoring boots across both legs against Manchester City.

After drawing a blank at the Etihad last week, it was expected that the 20-year-old would lead the charge for Borussia Dortmund on home turf. But that failed to happen, as Manchester City dominated proceedings from start to finish.

Haaland did show his strength in the lead-up to the game's opening goal, but that was as good as it got for him in front of goal. The one presentable opportunity that fell his way in the second half saw the former Red Bull Salzburg man blaze high over the post.

Erling Haaland's blank means he has now gone seven games without a goal for club and country.

Hit - Marwin Hitz (Borussia Dortmund)

On another day, Borussia Dortmund might have been on the end of a walloping by Manchester City. But they have their goalkeeper to thank for keeping the scoreline respectable.

Manchester City dominated proceedings from start to finish and carved out several notable chances, but an inspired Hitz kept the visitors at bay.

The Borussia Dortmund keeper made several five saves against Manchester City, with his standout stops coming against Kevin De Bruyne and Zinchenko. Despite ending on the losing side, the 33-year-old still gave a good account of himself.

There was nothing Hitz could do about both goals he conceded, so it takes nothing away from a fine performance.

Flop - Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund)

Emre Can would not look back on both games against Manchester City too fondly. The former Liverpool man was at fault for the first goal conceded last week, and he followed that up with another schoolboy error in the return leg.

In this age of VAR, it is foolhardy for a defender to try and head a ball out with his arm fully outstretched, but that was exactly what Can did in his penalty area.

The fact that the ball deflected off his head before hitting his arm gave room for a lengthy review, as amendments to the handball rule overlook handballs that deflect off another body part.

However, Can blatantly having his arm fully away from his body left the VAR with no other decision but to uphold the penalty. Riyad Mahrez promptly dispatched the spot-kick to draw Manchester City level on the night and 3-2 ahead on aggregate.

Before the ill-advised handball, Borussia Dortmund were in control of the tie, leading on away goals and looking to catch Manchester City on the counter. However, Manchester City's goal sucked the air out of Borussia Dortmund's lungs, and Emre Can did his team no favours with his errors across both legs.

Hit - Phil Foden (Manchester City)

While Emre Can had a case of lightning striking twice in the wrong sense, it was the opposite for Phil Foden, who proved to be Manchester City's match-winner in both the games.

The England international was on the periphery for most of the second leg against Borussia Dortmund but stepped up to the plate when it mattered most late on in the game.

The 20-year-old scored with his sole shot in the game, showing the requisite technique and precision needed to beat an inspired Hitz in the Borussia Dortmund goal.