DORTMUND – Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho said there was “no better feeling” after his goal helped secure a 2-0 win over PSV Eindhoven on March 13 and progress to the Champions League quarter-finals.
The Manchester United loanee opened the scoring in the third minute, his first goal in front of Dortmund’s 82,000-strong home crowd since May 2021.
Marco Reus added a goal in stoppage time to seal the win, putting Dortmund through 3-1 on aggregate, as they made the last eight for the first time since 2021.
“It was like a relief. I think like all players, you want to have a good start to the game – and there’s no better feeling than that,” Sancho told TNT Sports.
“I’m just grateful that I could get a goal for the team. We knew it was going to be tough, but I felt we’d have the advantage because we’re playing in front of our home fans.”
Sancho, 23, had an unhappy time at United and had been forced to train away from the first team having fallen out of favour with manager Erik ten Hag.
Having made only three appearances in the English Premier League this season, the attacker arrived in Dortmund in January for his second spell at the club on a six-month loan.
He went into the game saying that he could “understand fans getting frustrated” with his output, but he has now scored two goals in two games.
“I’ve always got a special place for Borussia Dortmund. This is where I made my name. I have to be grateful to them and to my teammates for believing in me. I’m just happy we won,” Sancho added.
Dortmund boss Edin Terzic, who coached Sancho during the Englishman’s first stint in Germany, praised the winger.
“I’m happy for Jadon that he scored. He had a really great game. Today, Jadon showed us his best performance since he returned to us. It was only seven days ago when everyone was asking, ‘What’s happening with Jadon, why hasn’t he scored?’ Now he has two goals,” the 41-year-old said.
Sancho was substituted with 15 minutes remaining while clutching his thigh, but said: “I felt something and I just didn’t want to risk it. We’re gonna check and hopefully it’s nothing.”
Terzic added: “He felt something in his leg, but we hope that he comes through it healthy and that he’ll be available for us this weekend.”
While Sancho will be hoping he is fine, a PSV supporter was left seriously injured following clashes between rival fans ahead of the match.
German police said a 35-year-old Dutchman was badly hurt and that authorities were investigating the circumstances of the incident.
According to German daily Bild, two groups of supporters squared off on the way to the stadium just over an hour before kick-off. AFP, REUTERS
