Borussia Dortmund moved back into second place in the Champions League Group F with a 3-1 win at home to Napoli on Tuesday night.
In an edgy first half it was Dortmund who held a slender advantage after Federico Fernandez fouled Robert Lewandowski before Marco Reus slotted in the penalty.
The game game to life in the second half with Jakub Blaszczykowski adding a second. Napoli pulled one back through Lorenzo Insigne before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made sure of the win with 12 minutes to play.
Read how the action unfolded with our live text commentary below.
Hello European football fans. We have a brilliant one for you tonight on SM, with two of the three giants of Group F going head to head at Signal Iduna Park: Dortmund vs. Napoli.
Dortmund's home defeat to Arsenal in their last game was a kick in the teeth for them. Not only because they were the better team on the night, but it means that they must aim to win their final two games in order to get through.
They will also be looking to avenge the defeat they suffered in the reverse game earlier in the season. It all went wrong for them that night, with Jurgen Klopp sent to the stands. He has since mellowed on the sidelines but he will be demanding every ounce of effort from his players. They are certainly not out of this group yet.
If the unthinkable were to happen and they lost tonight, it would only require Arsenal to get a point against Marseille for last year's runners-up to be eliminated at the first hurdle. There is a lot more to play for in this group and you can follow it all with us.
A reminder, that we are covering all tonight's game live. If you want to keep an eye on how Arsenal get on, then you can do so by clicking here.
A reminder, that we are covering all tonight's game live. If you want to keep an eye on how Arsenal get on, then you can do so by clicking here.
Right, the teams are in, so I'll get those right over to you. Bear with me one moment.
DORTMUND XI: Weidenfeller; Grosskreutz, Sokratis, Bender, Durm; Sahin, Kehl; Blaszczykowski, Mkhitaryan, Reus; Lewandowski
NAPOLI XI: Reina; Maggio, Fernandez, Albiol, Armero; Dzemaili, Behrami; Callejon, Pandev, Mertens; Higuain
So Dortmund's recent signing Manuel Friedrich cannot be registered, which means that Sven Bender has to play at centre-back, with Sebastian Kehl coming into the midfield. It's an area that could really be targeted by Gonzalo Higuain tonight.
Indeed, there are plenty of players in Rafael Benitez's lineup who can hurt Dortmund. Jose Callejon, Goran Pandev and Dries Mertens are a dynamic attacking trio and will be well supported defensively from the two holding players behind.
Klopp, given his defensive problems and the way he likes to approach football anyway, will surely have instructed his players to attack. There's very little point trying to be tight at the back and they just have to outscore Napoli tonight. I'm anticipating a great game.
Lukasz Piszczek remains on the Dortmund bench as he continues his step up from injury. The big news from the Napoli lineup, despite the talent in it, is that Marek Hamsik misses out. That will be as much of a boost for the hosts as it is a loss for the Italians I would suspect.
Even with the defensive troubles of the hosts, they are big favourites tonight. They are around 2/1 on for this one with Napoli in some places as far back as 6/1. If you ask me it could be worth a gamble on the Italians, but that said it should still be a narrow home win.
Speaking to UEFA.com, here is what Dortmund centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos (I'll be calling him Sokratis...) had to say:
"I think all the players know what is at stake. We have had many talks since Saturday and are totally programmed on a win. We know we still have matters in our own hands and will not see that chance taken away from us."
Pepe Reina, also speaking to UEFA.com has insisted that Napoli will not be playing for the draw that would see them qualify. Looking at Benitez's lineup, I think he's right too.
"We know a draw would see us through, but we should not play for one. That could be very dangerous. We have to try to play our own game and not focus too much on what Dortmund are going to do."
So just under 10 minutes to kickoff and there are plenty of ways that the group could look at the end of the action. Dortmund could be out, or they could even have a foot in the next round should they and Marseille both win.
Even though they won't be playing for a draw, boy would Napoli take one tonight. There won't be a better time to play them, as they have suffered three straight defeats in all competitions and are missing the vast majority of their defence.
The hosts get us underway here, so let's go. Here's hoping for some goals that I'm sure will arrive.
Dortmund seeing quite a lot of the ball early on, but there are no chances as yet. The same cannot be said in the other game in the group as Jack Wilshere has scored inside the first minute to give Arsenal a 1-0 lead over Marseille.
It's a little bit more nervy early on than I was expecting. Neither side are throwing anything at it yet - which is fine from Napoli's point of view, and I'm sure it will come for the Germans. At the moment they just don't want to concede early.
PENALTY TO DORTMUND!
GOAL! Dortmund 1-0 Napoli (Marco Reus, pen)
Federico Fernandez is booked for pulling back Robert Lewandowski in the box and Reus makes absolutely no mistake from the spot to send Reina the wrong way. Dortmund are right back in this group now!
BOOKING: Now Higuain goes into the book for something he said to the referee. They are not happy at the penalty decision but I think if you pull a player in the box, however slight, you run the risk.
MISS! Oh dear Lewandowski! Mkhitaryan gets into the position he loves, outside the box driving towards goal. He threads a wonderful pass in to the Polish striker, who somehow puts his effort wide of the near post! Of all the players on the pitch, he's the one you would want that chance to fall to.
Napoli are really beginning to lose the plot. Mkhitaryan and Callejon go for a 50-50 aerial duel on the edge of the box, but the Spaniard just decides to push him out of the way. It's a free kick right on the edge - dreadful decision from Callejon.
SAVE! Reus gets his effort on target, but Reina is there this time to turn it behind for a corner. Dortmund are really piling on the pressure here.
Napoli have finally started to come into the game a bit more, but the tempo of the German side is rushing them on the ball somewhat. PAndev goes for goal from range, but Weidenfeller is down comfortably to save.
Bender, who took a blow to the face earlier in the game, is back off the field receiving treatment. In his absence Kuba comes back really well to win a header and they clear. Napoli just stepping it up a little more in the last few minutes.
Good pressing from Napoli in midfield there sees Callejon pinch the ball from Mkhitaryan and then win the free kick in the immediate aftermath. Can Napoli make the most of this spell of possession?
OFF THE POST! Callejon comes within a couple of inches of equalising, and he really deserved a goal. He shimmies and turns and does Bender a little too easily for my liking. From the angle he strikes low across goal but sees his effort come back into play off the far post.
SAVE: Not quite was the answer to my previous question. Now the hosts break and Mkhitaryan strikes left-footed from the edge of the box but it's too close to Reina who pushes it over the bar. Good effort, still.
CHANCE! Another big moment! Lewandowski gets in after Maggio failed to cut out a Mkhitaryan pass, but it was poor again from the Pole who put his effort pretty much straight at Reina. It was a good save as he made himself big but again you'd expect the striker to score.
BOOKING: Ouch! Mkhitaryan spins to get his body in the way as Albiol rips through the back of him. Yellow is about the right call, even if Dortmund want a different colour.
BOOKING: Kehl and Pandev now go into the book after a coming together. Not much else happening here other than a lot of fouls and many bookings. The referee needs to be careful not to dish out a card for everything.
Dortmund are now just about back on top of this at the moment, with around five minutes to go until the break. It has not quite been the attacking feast I had expected and instead there have been plenty of nerves.
Nervous moment for Grosskreutz! He allows the ball to bounce in his penalty box, with Pandev trying to drill across to Higuain in the aftermath, but it instead goes out of play for a goal kick - that could have ended up very different.
That's the better side of Grosskreutz, who busts a lung to get to the Napoli byline, but when he does get there he only has one man in the box and his cross goes out of play on the far side. Two minutes will be added on.
SAVE: One for the camera there as Weidenfeller springs to his right to parry away a strike from range from Armero.
HALF-TIME: Dortmund 1-0 Napoli
So a tactical and intriguing half comes to an end and it's just about the right score so far. There have been plenty of bookings, which does reflect how much there is riding on this for both sides.
Dortmund started well and were awarded an early penalty, from which Reus was able to score. Lewandowski will be wondering how he squandered two chances, but at the other end Napoli have certainly not been out of it and even hit the post through Callejon.
In the other game in the group, Arsenal are leading Marseille 1-0 thanks to Wilshere's early goal. If things stay as they are, Arsenal top the group on 12 points, with these two sides both on nine. It's as close as was advertised.
It means that still no team would be guaranteed of a place yet. Arsenal, of course, would need to be hammered by Napoli and see Dortmund thrash Marseille for them not to go through, so they are well placed, but it still could go absolutely any way.
Here we go then for the second half. Napoli get the second half underway - can they swing things back their way with a goal?
Napoli have come out with plenty of urgency this half. Mertens gets on to a Behrami free kick and finds Armero behind him, but the left-back's cross goes straight into the arms of Weidenfeller under no pressure.
Dangerous free kick around 25 yards from goal here as Sokratis lunges in and catches Pandev, who was too quick for him. However, Mertens's effort goes straight into the wall - an awful attempt.
Mertens gets in down the left again but with a couple of blue shirts around him he only picks out Sokratis. Dortmund clear their lines but back come Napoli, with Pandev fouled by Grosskreutz. Good pressure from the visitors.
MISS! Big, big chance at the other end this time. A sweeping counter-attacking move sees Kuba cut inside and lay across to Reus, who has all the time in the world but fires a low effort wide of the far post. Then Maggio pulls off a marvellous last-ditch tackle on Lewandowski as the striker looked to turn Kuba's cross in.
Another superb flowing move from Dortmund is stopped at the last by Albiol. It's Kuba and Mkhitaryan who break up the field at pace, but the final touch forces him wide and the defender is across to clear. There's definitely a goal in this soon.
CHANCE! Mkhitaryan almost makes it two. Once again it's a rapid break with the attacking midfielder cutting from centre to left. Reina gets a touch on the save before it's cleared from under the bar. What a save!
GOAL! Dortmund 2-0 Napoli (Jakub Blaszczykowski)
What a chance at the other end and this time as Weidenfeller keeps out Higauin's effort. The hosts break through Reus down the left, who has four closing him down, which leaves Kuba in acres bursting through the middle. The pass is perfect and the finish through Reina's legs even better.
NAPOLI SUB: No surprises here as Benitez makes a change. It's Gokhan Inler on for Dzemaili to provide a bit more penetration and directness to the midfield.
UPDATE: It's now 2-0 to the Gunners at the Emirates and it's Wilshere once more. Things are wide open in this group, although it's looking safe for Arsenal.
NAPOLI SUB: Lorenzo Insigne is on now in place of Callejon. That will be like-for-like with Insigne perhaps more likely to drift into the box.
DORTMUND SUB: Chance now for the hosts. The second goalscorer Kuba, who has been fantastic, makes way for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. That will be no more of a let-off for Armero, though, with the Gabonese possessing frightening pace.
GOAL! Dortmund 2-1 Napoli (Lorenzo Insigne)
That is an absolutely delightful finish from the new man! Weidenfeller was caught out thinking he could reach Higuain's ball around the corner, but the Italian got there and dinked it over him into the far corner. This game has legs yet! Benitez's substitution pays off.
SAVE! What a save! Aubameyang rips on to Lewansowski's pass on half way to get one-on-one and when he gets there Reina is so big that he manages to get enough on it to put it wide. That could prove huge, what a brilliant stop.
NAPOLI SUB: Duban Zapata is on now for Pandev in a final throw of the dice from Benitez.
GOAL! Dortmund 3-1 Napoli (Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang)
I did say Armero would have trouble against Aubameyang and it has been proven. He's pressured by the Gabonese and gives it away to Lewandowski. As Aubameyang sprints into space to his right, the Pole plays a delightful pass with the outside of his boot and it's finished off with a lovely clip over Reina. Dortmund have been breathtaking on the break.
Lukasz Piszczek makes his long-awaited return and he is on for Reus as Klopp looks to hold on to what he has. Every goal is important for goal-difference now.
Dortmund are looking to kill the time a little now, but even so off the ball they maintain their very high pressing game. The crowd are getting anxious, which is reflecting on the players just now.
CLOSE! It looks as though Mkhitaryan will end the game without a goal, but he really does deserve one. His left-footed strike is low and well turned behind by Reina.
DORTMUND SUB: Final change for the hosts as Julian Schieber comes on for Lewandowski.
We are now into the first of three minutes of time added on. I think this is over as a contest now.
SAVE! Late chance for Insigne, but he would have done well to beat Weidenfeller from there. The German stopper got behind the shot well and pushed it away.
FULL-TIME: Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Napoli
So that goal from Aubameyang could prove crucial. It means that if they finish level with Napoli then they will go through on their head-to-head record. This was a big win and the celebrations at the end suggest exactly that.
Arsenal beat Marseille 2-0 in the other game to remain top of the group, with a three-point lead. If they don't lose to Napoli they are through, but can even be defeated and get through. In two weeks time, there will be calculators doing overtime that's for sure.
Anyway, thanks for joining me for what was Dortmund's 50th European Cup/Champions League win. There will be plenty of results and reaction on site tonight, so please do stick around. From me, though, it's goodnight.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
