By Abubakar Y Ojima-Ojo
Barcelona scored three second-half goals to thrash Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in their UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-final first-leg tie at Olympic Luys Companies stadium on Wednesday night.
Robert Lewandowski was on hand to torment his old club with a brace, with Raphinha opening the floodgates and Yammal sealing a very comfortable win in a match.
Hansi Flick’s Barcelona dismantled the visitors on the counter.
Raphinha, the on-form Brazilian winger, finished off Pau Curbasi’s kick from a free kick in the 25th minute to put the home team ahead.
The Blaugrana had further chances to extend their lead but could only wait until the second half for Lewandowski, a former Dortmund player, to haunt his former side.
The Polish striker nodded in from a couple of inches from the line after Raphinha served it on a plate for the veteran in the 48th minute.
Another counterattack was executed to perfection, ending with Lewandowski slamming a low shot into the bottom corner for his 27th goal in 26 matches against Dortmund.
It was more of the same for the fourth goal as Yammal finished off a swift counterattack, collecting Raphinha’s pass on the run before slotting into the bottom corner for 4-0.
The four-goal margin puts Barcelona in a very comfortable position going into the second leg at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund next week.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) came from a goal down to defeat Aston Villa 3-1, the Parisiens holding a two-goal advantage going into the second leg.
Morgan Rodgers’ opener for Villa against the run of play was cancelled by Desire Doue’s curler that had Emiliano Martinez, Villa goalkeeper, motionless in disbelief. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes added second half goals to take a respectable lead into next week’s second leg tie.
