Venue: Atlanta, Georgia
Final Score: Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Monterrey

Borussia Dortmund got the job done against Monterrey in a tense Round of 16 encounter, thanks to a first-half brace from Serhou Guirassy. The German side capitalized on their early chances, defending well in the latter stages of the game despite heavy pressure from their Liga MX opponents.

Early Dominance from Dortmund

The match kicked off at 03:00 CET with Dortmund immediately looking to impose their rhythm. It didn’t take long for them to break through, as striker Serhou Guirassy opened the scoring in the 15th minute, weaving past Monterrey’s backline and calmly slotting the ball past Esteban Andrada.

Monterrey responded with possession-based play, but struggled to create clear chances in the opening phase. Their 65% possession in the first half didn’t translate into goals, as Dortmund’s counter-attacking prowess proved more efficient.

In the 25th minute, Guirassy doubled Dortmund’s lead, finishing off a slick team move initiated by Karim Adeyemi, who found him unmarked with a precise through ball. Dortmund went into halftime with a commanding 2-0 lead, but Monterrey looked far from defeated.

Monterrey Strike Back

Just minutes into the second half, German Berterame headed in a superb goal for Monterrey in the 52nd minute, reducing the deficit and reigniting hopes of a comeback. The goal galvanized the Mexican side, who pressed hard for an equalizer throughout the remainder of the match.

Despite numerous chances, Monterrey couldn’t break down the disciplined Dortmund defense again. The Bundesliga side held firm under pressure and managed the game intelligently to see out the win.