PSV Eindhoven secured a draw against Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 matchup, courtesy of a calmly taken penalty by Luuk de Jong.
Ten minutes into the second half, the Dutch striker leveled the scoreline after Mats Hummels was deemed to have fouled Malik Tillman in the penalty area.
Donyell Malen had initially given Dortmund the lead in the first half with a shot that deflected off the crossbar and into the net.
The return leg will take place in Dortmund on March 13th.
PSV had the upper hand in the early stages of an open first half but failed to convert their opportunities. Tillman missed their best chance when he dragged his shot wide following a clever flick from De Jong.
Their missed chances proved costly as Malen, who transferred from PSV to Dortmund in the summer of 2021, capitalized on a defensive lapse, dribbled past a defender to create space, and struck a powerful shot that deflected off the bar and into the net.
This marked Malen’s first Champions League goal since 2021 and the first ever by a Dutch player against a Dutch side in the knockout stages of the tournament.
The home team continued to press for an equalizer, with Johan Bakayoko missing another good opportunity when he failed to connect properly with Hirving Lozano’s cross before halftime.
At the beginning of the second half, Peter Bosz’s side once again took control, and when Hummels brought down Tillman in the box, despite the defender’s claims that he got the ball, De Jong leveled the score from the penalty spot.
PSV appeared to be the stronger side, poised to secure a victory in their first Champions League knockout match since 2015-16. However, they had to accept a draw, extending their unbeaten streak at home to 31 games.
Nonetheless, Edin Terzic’s Dortmund boasts a formidable home record as well, having not suffered a defeat at Signal Iduna Park in this competition since November 2021. They will aim for a performance that aligns with this impressive record in the second leg next month, hoping it propels them to advancement.