Edin Terzic: Borussia Dortmund's defensive resilience behind win over Chelsea
Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic hailed the defensive resilience of his players following their 1-0 victory against Chelsea in the last-16 of the Champions League on Wednesday.
Image credit: Getty Images Edin Terzic.Speaking to DAZN after the match, Terzic noted that luck was involved but credited his goalkeeper's great performance in securing the win.
"In the final stages, Chelsea was really dominant and had a lot of the ball in the final third. It became harder and harder for us to hold our nerve in defence," said Terzic. "We did a good job of winning the ball, but too often we weren't able to keep a hold of it for long."
Despite the challenges, Terzic promised that his team would do whatever it takes to win and wouldn't feel apologetic for beating Chelsea at home in the last 16. He noted that Dortmund had a few opportunities to hit the Blues on the counter and highlighted the importance of their goalkeeper, Gregor Kobel, in tough moments.
"We know one thing for sure: whenever the going gets tough, we can count on Gregor Kobel," Terzic said. "There were a few times, particularly in the first-half, that we managed to play our way through them. So there are a lot of good things to take from tonight, and best of all is the win."
In the first-half, both teams were evenly matched, and Dortmund's Julian Brandt was their best player in the final third. He had 45 touches, four key passes, and a 100 percent dribble completion rate.
However, in the second half, BVB sat much deeper, allowing Chelsea more possession and opting to play on the counter-attack.
Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi scored the game's only goal in the 63rd minute, using his explosive pace and composure to dribble past Enzo Fernandez and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Emre Can also played a crucial role in securing the win, clearing an effort off the line, while Kobel made seven saves, his most in a Champions League game.
"It was really impressive how Joao Felix operated between the lines and his teammates were always able to thread passes to him," said Terzic. "But in the end, our defence held strong, and we were able to secure the win."
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