Sporting CP vs Borussia Dortmund LIVE: Updates as German visitors take control of UEFA Champions League play-off tie

Borussia Dortmund turned on the afterburners in the second half to blow Sporting CP away and race to a 3-0 away win in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout play-off tie.

The home side, who started with star striker Viktor Gyokeres on the bench due to an ongoing injury issue, enjoyed the better of the chances in a goalless first half, looking threatening on transition and hitting the bar with a terrific strike from Maximiliano Araujo.

But the momentum of the match swung hugely in Dortmund’s favour after the break, as the visitors took control of midfield and dominated proceedings, creating a number of chances early on in the second half.

Sporting introduced Gyokeres hoping for some inspiration, but the Swedish striker was an isolated figure as Dortmund continued to dominate and hit the home side with a swift double strike.

A beautiful cross from Julian Brandt was expertly headed home by Serhou Guirassy on the hour mark, and the Dortmund centre-forward turned provider eight minutes later as his superb whipped delivery was turned home by Pascal Gross.

Sporting went in search of a goal to keep themselves firmly in the tie, but it was Dortmund who struck again late on, this time with Brandt combining superbly on the counter with Karim Adeyemi, who made it 3-0 to prompt a mass exodus by the home fans into the late Lisbon evening.

Sporting have not won in the Champions League since the departure of Ruben Amorim to Manchester United but now must end that winless streak by a margin of four goals away at Dortmund if they are to stay in European competition this season. It is a tall ask for the return leg, which is scheduled for the early 17:45 kick-off slot on Wednesday 19 February.

TNT Sports' coverage of the UEFA Champions League play-offs continues on Wednesday with all four matches on our channels as Celtic contest their first knockout stage match in the competition in 12 years.

With the scores goalless after an hour of play, it was this superb effort from Dortmund that got the ball rolling for them on the night, with Brandt’s sublime cross expertly finished by Guirassy – a finish that drew plenty of praise from Robbie Savage on commentary for TNT Sports:

The final whistle of this game may only be the halfway point of the tie, but Borussia Dortmund are now overwhelming favourites to progress after their first win under new manager Niko Kovac.

Last year’s beaten finalists were unlucky not to seal a top-eight spot in the league phase of this competition, but continue to look a threatening outfit in European competition, in contrast to their domestic struggles where they lie in the bottom half of the Bundesliga after just eight wins from their 21 games to date.

Sporting showed flashes of quality, particularly in a goalless first half, but remain without a win in their five games in this competition since the departure of Ruben Amorim to Manchester United, and it would take quite a turnaround for them to remain in this competition.

The final whistle goes and Borussia Dortmund’s players and travelling fans celebrate a terrific win away at a now semi-deserted Estadio Jose Alvalade. A 3-0 lead to take back to Germany is a dream scenario for the visitors.

There will be four additional minutes played at the end of the game.

The visitors attack again, looking for a fourth, and Sabitzer threatens it with a dipping volley that is too close to the keeper.

The home side had enjoyed the better of the changes in the first half, but they’ve been blown away in this second period, losing complete control of midfield and proving far too easy to break down. Dortmund’s three goals were all excellent, but they have created plenty of decent chances in this second period and have been met with very little resistance. It’s an odd game-of-two-halves situation which hints at the fragility of this post-Amorim Sporting side.

It’s a third and Dortmund are in complete control of this tie now. Sporting have numbers forward looking for a way back into the game and they lose possession, setting Dortmund off on a counter. Karim Adeyemi does well to wait and find the support of the overlapping Brandt before making a run into the box, and Brandt finds him with a return cross. Adeyemi’s finish and celebration are equally emphatic – 3-0 Dortmund.

It’s another good chance for the visitors, but Guirassy doesn’t quite catch his shot cleanly enough as he looks to place it from close range. He’d probably have been better off giving that a smash and seeing what happened.

Sporting are struggling to get to grips with this game and Trincao, who was running the show in the first half, is booked for a slightly frustrated late challenge.

Quaresma is introduced into the back-line for the home side as they look to find some sort of stability with the tie slipping away from them. Biel also comes on.

The game has turned on its head in this second half and Dortmund look by far the better side now. They pour forward and win a corner to keep up the pressure.

It’s a second for Dortmund, who have been outstanding since half-time. Guirassy has time and space out on the right flank and whips in a wicked cross that picks out Pascal Gross, who finishes with his thigh to make it 2-0. That’s another amazing cross and Dortmund have grasped control of this tie.

Another cross into the box is flicked up by Guirassy who looks to hit it second time with a spectacular overhead kick. It was never really on though and he caught the head of the covering defender with his boot. The referee immediately stops play and books the Dortmund forward, who takes that punishment with no complaint. It wasn’t intentionally dangerous but it did deserve a yellow.

TNT Sports co-commentator Robbie Savage was full of praise for that finish from Guirassy, saying:

The visitors who have the lead and it’s their goal-hungry front-man Serhou Guirassy who has got it, getting on the end of an inviting Brandt cross and sending a brilliant header back across goal and into the far top corner. Stunning. 1-0.

Sporting turn to their bench and the crowd are on their feet, first to applaud off the hard-working Harder and then to cheer the arrival of their star man Gyökeres.

Dortmund have been so much better since the break and they very nearly take the lead through Adeyemi, who is denied by an excellent reaction stop from the Sporting keeper Rui Silva.

Both teams protest slightly soft fouls in quick succession. The referee is certainly keen to keep control of this game, let’s put it that way.