Good evening! Thank you very much for joining
Sports Mole for tonight's Champions League showdown between
Tottenham Hotspur and
Borussia Dortmund at Wembley!
This is one of the more intriguing matches of the last 16 this season as Spurs look to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2011 while Dortmund are after revenge having lost home and away to Spurs in last season's group stages.
Kickoff is just a few moments away, so let's start with a look at the team news before we get underway...
TOTTENHAM STARTING XI: Lloris; Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Sissoko, Foyth, Eriksen, Winks; Lucas, Son
SUBS: Trippier, Rose, Lamela, Wanyama, Llorente, Gazzaniga, Skipp
BORUSSIA DORTMUND STARTING XI: Burki; Hakimi, Toprak, Zagadou, Diallo; Witsel, Delaney; Sancho, Dahoud, Pulisic; Gotze
SUBS: Guerreiro, Balerdi, Philipp, Wolf, Schmelzer, Bruun Larsen, Hitz
Before kickoff we will have a moment in memory of Emiliano Sala and England legend Gordon Banks, the latter of whom passed away yesterday having won the World Cup on this site in 1966.
KICKOFF: Here we go! Dortmund get us underway at Wembley!
Spurs have played a couple of lofted passes over the top already, looking to get their attackers in behind. That could be a tactic they try to take advantage of tonight.
It's been an even start to this match, with both sides seeing a decent amount of the ball in the very early stages. Both seem eager to get it forward quickly too.
CHANCE! Big chance for Tottenham to open the scoring early on! The ball is headed to Lucas, who takes a touch before lashing a sweetly-struck volley towards goal. The keeper is rooted to the spot, but is grateful to see it flash narrowly wide of the far post. Great effort from the Brazilian!
Spurs have looked the most likely to break the deadlock in these opening exchanges. They are trying to release Son so quickly and they are bound to get in behind sooner or later if it carries on like this.
Plenty of eyes on this young man tonight, who has taken the Bundesliga by storm this season...
YELLOW CARD! Aurier picks up an early yellow card for Spurs having tugged on Pulisic's shorts to prevent a breakaway.
It's just got a little scrappy in the last few minutes with a couple of fouls and misplaced passes disrupting the rhythm of the game.
CHANCE! Spurs almost shoot themselves in the foot here as they try to play out from the back, with Lloris, Alderweireld and Sanchez all contributing to the problem before Foyth is the man caught in possession right on the edge of his own area. Pulisic breaks into the box but is forced wide by Alderweireld and cannot squeeze the ball past Lloris from an impossible angle.
Important piece of defending from Alderweireld as he steps in to nick the ball off Sancho, who looked to have a clear run at goal but was let down by a heavy first touch.
A chance apiece for these two sides so far, and it has been an even game so far. Both sides look capable of causing problems in the final third, but the game is yet to really catch fire.
Sissoko throws himself into a mistimed sliding challenge to gift Dortmund a free kick in a really good crossing position...
SAVE! The initial free kick is easily cleared, but Winks is then caught in possession and that allows Witsel to get a shot away which Lloris saves comfortably.
Sancho finds himself one on one with Sanchez down the tight and he turns the Spurs defender inside out, only to see his subsequent low pass into the box well cut out by Foyth.
Dortmund are starting to impose themselves on this game now, and Sancho is right at the centre of it. A slick team move sees them advance into the box again here, but a low cross/shot deflects kindly into the arms of Lloris.
Spurs are struggling to get into any sort of rhythm at the moment. Their dangermen - Son, Eriksen and Lucas - have not been able to get themselves into this game just yet.
Good spell of possession for Spurs now, but it is all coming in their own half as they struggle to get through those Dortmund lines. Eventually the possession ends with Foyth hoofing it out of play when looking for the speculative pass to Vertonghen.
Almost half an hour gone in this one and, as is often the case in these first legs, it has all been a bit cagey so far. Yesterday's match between United and PSG also took a while to get going, though, and it turned into a good game so there is hope for this one yet!
Dortmund have been so disciplined in defence so far. They are not parking the bus by any means, but when Spurs do have possession they are back in their shape and clearly determined to keep a clean sheet in this away first leg.
Important defending from Hakimi just as it looked as though Spurs might be able to open Dortmund up. Son was just about to pull the trigger from the edge of the area, but Hakimi stepped in to make a well-timed tackle.
CHANCE! This is more like it from Spurs! Foyth strides out from defence and exchanges passes with Aurier to advance down the right. He then pulls the ball back into the box for Eriksen, but it arrives quickly at him and the Dane cannot keep his shot down.
SAVE! Dortmund respond as Delaney lets fly from range, and Lloris almost makes a mess of it by parrying it back into a dangerous area. Sanchez eventually gets it clear, though.
SAVE! Spurs hit right back at the other end as Son works space to shoot down the left channel. His low drive across the face of goal is met by a good foot from Burki, though, and nothing comes from the follow-up.
Dortmund are furious here as they burst clear and cut Spurs open on the break. Sancho again is at the forefront and looks to be tripped from behind by Sissoko just outside the area, but the referee waves their claims away.
Sissoko got away with one there! Having just seen the replay, it was a clear trip and it would have been a yellow card for the Spurs midfielder as well as a free kick in a very dangerous area. Strange decision from the ref as it looked like a clear foul even in normal time.
UPDATE: There has been a goal in the other Champions League game taking place tonight, and it is a surprise one with Ajax taking the lead against holders Real Madrid in Amsterdam!
UPDATE: ...scrap that - the goal has been disallowed by VAR for an offside! Courtois's blushes are spared!
Alderweireld fires the ball up to Lucas, who cushions a header for Eriksen. The Dane looks to have a bit of space to shoot, but Dortmund are so quickly on him that he is dispossessed almost immediately.
CHANCE! Chance for Dortmund to break the deadlock right at the end of this half! Sancho's delivery is met by Zagado, but Foyth does just about enough to take some of the pace off the ball and that allows Lloris to push it clear.
HALF TIME: TOTTENHAM 0-0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND
The first half of this first leg comes to an end at Wembley, then, and we're still goalless between Tottenham and Borussia Dortmund.
It hasn't been the most action-packed match so far, but there have been chances at both ends and Jadon Sancho in particular has been a highlight for the visitors.
The closest we have come to a goal came after seven minutes when Lucas Moura almost opened the scoring in some style with a beautifully-struck volley.
The Brazilian took the ball down on his thigh before letting fly, and his thunderous effort flashed narrowly wide of the far post with Burki rooted to the spot.
Eriksen has also blazed one half-chance well over while Son has seen a low drive turned away by Burki, but in general Spurs have found it difficult to breach a disciplined Dortmund defence.
The visitors have not fared too much better at the other end, though, and they had to wait until the 45th minute for their biggest chance of the first half when Zagado's header was turned away by Lloris.
Lloris was also needed to deny Pulisic from a tight angle after Tottenham's attempts to play themselves out of defence almost backfired, but it is Jadon Sancho who has looked the most likely to make something happen for the visitors.
Either way, a 0-0 scoreline leaves Dortmund with a slight advantage going into the second leg, so the onus is more on Spurs in the coming 45 minutes.
KICKOFF: Spurs get us back underway at Wembley!
GOAL! TOTTENHAM 1-0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND (SON HEUNG-MIN)
GOAL! Son does it again! It is a dream start to the second half as Spurs take the lead within two minutes of the restart, with Son maintaining his brilliant record against Dortmund!
It is a beauty of a cross from Vertonghen to whip it into the middle, and the finish is not bad either as Son cushions his volley into the top corner. First blood to Tottenham!
I said the onus was on Spurs, but now it is very much back on Dortmund. Remember, Harry Kane is expected to be back in time for the second leg so they will fancy their chances of getting an away goal in Dortmund.
YELLOW CARD! Spurs come forward again as Vertonghen cuts the ball in to Son, who turns away from Delaney and is tripped by the Dortmund midfielder. Yellow card for Delaney, but worse could be to come as Eriksen is lining up a free kick in a very dangerous position...
...it is really disappointing from the Dane, though, as he puts his free kick straight into the wall.
Here is that opening goal from Son, complete with a lovely cross and a finish to match...
SHOT! Vertonghen has really stepped it up a gear in this second half! He nicks the ball back inside the Dortmund half here and drives forward, but his right-footed effort is high and wide. Really positive play from the wing-back, though.
SAVE! Eriksen tries his luck from range, but he doesn't get the power behind it and Burki gathers with ease.
CHANCE! Crucial defending from Zagadou as Dortmund are almost caught out with a quick free kick which releases Eriksen. The Dane tries to lift it to an unmarked Son, who would have been left with a simple finish, but Zagadou gets back to nod it behind for a corner.
CHANCE! Eriksen swings the resulting corner in to the near post where Alderweireld rises highest to glance the ball goalwards, forcing Burki into the save.
UPDATE: Having been denied an opener by the narrowest of margins, Ajax have now fallen behind against Real Madrid through Karim Benzema's opener.
He is a man in sensational form at the moment...
Another last-ditch piece of defending from Dortmund as Toprak cuts out a low cross from the right with Lucas lurking. It has been all Spurs in this second half!
Spurs have been so much better in this second half than they were in the first, and Dortmund have really struggled to deal with it at times. The visitors have shown very little in reply, but the deficit remains just one and an away goal would change everything once again.
SHOT! Routine stop for Lloris as Dahoud goes for goal from range but cannot get enough power on it. Lloris is just able to drop on it.
Just 20 minutes remaining in this match now and Spurs just look to have taken their foot off the pedal a little. This would be a very good result for them, but not conceding needs to take priority over scoring another at this stage.
Lucas has the chance to burst down the left flank and stretch his legs, but Hakimi tracks him well and shows really good pace to get in and make the challenge.
Vertonghen has turned into Roberto Carlos in this second half! He has been bursting up and down that left flank since the opening minute of this half and he is delivering some really testing crosses into the box too.
SHOT! Crucial block from Delaney as a corner goes all the way through to Lucas, who lashes a volley towards goal but sees it cannon off the Dortmund midfielder, who threw himself in the way of it.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND SUB: Change for the visitors here as Marcel Schmelzer replaces Zagadou.
UPDATE: Big goal in Amsterdam as Ajax level things up against Real Madrid through Hakim Ziyech!
Just under 10 minutes remaining now and it will be interesting to see whether Dortmund throw caution to the wind a little bit in these closing stages. They have not been able to get Sancho into the game at all in this second half.
GOAL! TOTTENHAM 2-0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND (JAN VERTONGHEN)
GOAL! Big, big goal in this tie as Spurs double their first-leg advantage! Vertonghen has been so impressive in this second half, and now he has a goal to go with his assist too. It is quite the finish too as he volleys the ball past Burki after breaking into the box and getting on the end of Aurier's delivery!
TOTTENHAM SUB: Spurs have made a change in the aftermath of that goal, with
Fernando Llorente replacing Lucas.
GOAL! TOTTENHAM 3-0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND (FERNANDO LLORENTE)
GOAL! Incredible scenes at Wembley as Spurs grab a third goal! Llorente - just off the bench - meets Eriksen's corner with a glancing header which Burki can do nothing about! That could well be tie over, and at the very least Dortmund have a huge mountain to climb in the return leg!
BORUSSIA DORTMUND SUB: Another change from the visitors as Sancho is replaced by Raphael Guerrero.
TOTTENHAM SUB: Off goes Son to be replaced by Eriksen, and Dortmund also made another change in the wake of that third goal with Bruun Larsen coming on for Pulisic.
CLOSE! There will be just two minutes of added time as Guerrero curls an effort narrowly wide of the far post with Lloris struggling to get there.
TOTTENHAM SUB: A third and final change from Spurs as Victor Wanyama replaces Sissoko.
FULL TIME: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3-0 BORUSSIA DORTMUND
What an incredible second-half performance that was from Spurs, who looked like an entirely different team to the one which failed to have a shot on target in the first half.
Son offered a sign of what was to come with the opening within two minutes of the restart, and man-of-the-match Jan Vertonghen then added a second before Fernando Llorente came off the bench to cap off the scoring and take Spurs to the brink of the quarter-finals for the first time since 2011.
Right, that is all we have time for this evening!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for a memorable Champions League night at Wembley as goals from Son, Vertonghen and Llorente give Spurs a commanding advantage to take back to Dortmund next month. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
