A debatable penalty in stoppage time helped Atalanta dramatically dump Borussia Dortmund out of the Champions League as the Italians overturned a first-leg deficit to march into the last 16.
The Germans were favourites coming into Wednesday's play-off second leg after their 2-0 win at home last week. But they could not cope with Atalanta's verve or their own frailties as Gianluca Scamacca, Davide Zappacosta and Mario Pašalić put the hosts 3-0 up.
Karim Adeyemi levelled the tie in style before Dortmund team mate Ramy Bensebaini, the fall guy all night, was adjudged to have conceded a spot-kick when clearing the ball and Lazar Samardžić converted eight minutes in stoppage time.
The Italians won 4-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate to leave Dortmund seething at themselves and the match officials.
"When you concede four goals in a play-off, it's hard to go through," Dortmund's Emre Can told DAZN. "When you make so many individual errors, it is tough to progress. We were unlucky but deserved not to go through. I don't know if it was a penalty to be honest."
It means an all-German last 16 clash is no longer certain in Friday's draw, with Bayern Munich facing either Atalanta or Bayer Leverkusen, who got past Olympiacos Piraeus in their play-off on Tuesday.
Can returned to start after injury while fellow centre back Nico Schlotterbeck was fit enough for the bench.
Their defence was tested from the off and conceded after five minutes when Bensebaini failed to cut out a cross and Scamacca scored.
Dortmund, who host Bayern in a top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash on Saturday, had been annoyed that certain sections of their fans had been barred from the early kick-off in Bergamo.
It was a tough initial watch for Dortmund supporters who were let in, Nicola Zalewski testing Gregor Kobel either side of the opener.
It took half an hour for the visitors to register a shot on goal through Julian Brandt given their lax passing.
Atalanta continued to press and the lively Zappacosta netted with an effort which deflected in off the hapless Bensebaini on 45.
Remarkable fashion
Serhou Guirassy went close for Dortmund early in the second half and Maxi Beier hit the post before substitute Adeyemi curled in superbly on 75 to force what the visitors thought would be extra-time.
But a mistake by Kobel in injury time exposed Bensebaini, who used his heel to flick the ball away from Nikola Krstović.
His boot caught the Montenegro forward in the face in the process and after a video check, the referee gave the penalty and sent off the Algeria defender for a second booking.
Schlotterbeck was also red-carded on the bench for protesting along with Giorgio Scalvini in the home dug-out.
Samardžić found the top corner with the spot-kick and the game was over in remarkable fashion.
Atalanta had lost three in a row in the Champions League and made sure they did not set a record of four.
"Of course we believed. We said we had show another side to ourselves and we did that very well early on," defender Sead Kolasinac said before backing the penalty decision.
"I saw our striker bleeding and thought there must've been contact."
Italy was at risk of having no teams in the first knock-out round proper for the first time since 1988. But the modest team from Bergamo are carrying the flag, unless Juventus can overturn a 5-2 deficit at home to Galatasaray on Wednesday.
Serie A's malaise combined with the Bundesliga's success in Europe this term had heightened the chances of Germany joining England in having five Champions League teams next season instead of four, as per UEFA co-efficients.
But Atalanta beating Dortmund could yet bring a twist in that tale.
Other play-off second legs on Wednesday included Real Madrid at home to Benfica, a week on from the racism allegations which have left Gianluca Prestianni banned after his appeal failed. Holders Paris Saint-Germain were also hosting Monaco with a 3-2 first-leg lead.
Four play-offs were completed on Tuesday, with Norway's Bodø/Glimt knocking out last season's runners-up and Serie A leaders Inter.
- Atalanta
- Dortmund
- Champions League
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
