Atalanta 4-1 Borussia Dortmund (4-3 Agg), UEFA Champions League: Samardzic's 98th-Minute Penalty Seals Epic Comeback

Lazar Samardzic's 98th-minute penalty sent Atalanta into the last-16 of the Champions League as they came from two goals down to beat Borussia Dortmund 4-3 on aggregate. 

Atalanta led 3-0 on the night until Karim Adeyemi levelled the tie, only for Ramy Bensebaini to cap off a miserable display with a red card after giving away a penalty for a high challenge on Nikola Krstovic, with Samardzic slotting home the resulting spot-kick. 

Atalanta made the ideal start with five minutes on the clock when Lorenzo Bernasconi's cross into the area was not dealt with by Bensebaini, with the Dortmund defender inadvertently flicking the ball on for Gianluca Scamacca to tuck home at the back post. 

The Serie A side then hauled themselves level on aggregate on the stroke of half-time through Davide Zappacosta, whose shot from the edge of the box deflected off Bensebaini and over the dive of Kobel. 

BVB went close to restoring their lead in the tie eight minutes after the break, but Maximilian Beier hit the post before the rebound struck Julian Brandt and went behind.

And Atalanta made the most of that reprieve just before the hour when Marten de Roon's teasing delivery into the box was headed into the net by Mario Pasalic at the back post. 

Karim Adeyemi, however, had other ideas, with the Dortmund forward picking out the top-left corner with a sublime left-footed finish after combining with fellow substitute Carney Chukwuemeka to level the tie once more with 15 minutes remaining. 

Both sides appeared ready to go to extra-time until the fifth-minute of second-half stoppage time, when Kobel's poor clearance saw Pasalic collect possession and cross for Krstovic, but as he stooped to head the ball, he was caught by Bensebaini's high boot.  

Following a VAR review, a spot-kick was awarded, with Bensebaini sent off for a second bookable offence, with Samardzic stepping up to wrap a sensational strike from 12 yards out into the top corner with the last kick of the game. 

Data Debrief: Atalanta defy the odds in Europe

Not many would have predicted Atalanta to come back from two goals down against a Dortmund side challenging Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title, but Palladino's men battled their way to the next round, where they will face Arsenal or Vincent Kompany's side. 

But they did things the hard way here, with Atalanta becoming the first side to overturn a two-goal first leg deficit in a Champions League knockout tie since Liverpool progressed past Barcelona in the 2018-19 semi-final.

The comeback was led by Scamacca, who is only the third player to score in three consecutive home appearances across major European competition for Atalanta, after Oliviero Garlini in April 1988 (Cup Winners' Cup) and Ademola Lookman in February 2025 (Champions League).

Atalanta were thoroughly deserving of their win, having registered an expected goals (xG) total of 2.61 from their 15 shots, nine of which were on target, compared to Dortmund's 0.93 from their seven attempts.