Borussia Dortmund vs. Tottenham: Score, Reaction from 2016 Europa League Game

Borussia Dortmund cruised to a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their 2015-16 UEFA Europa League meeting on Thursday, all but securing their spot in the next round.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the score in the first half and Marco Reus added a brace after the break, as Die Schwarzgelben completely dominated Spurs from start to finish.

The two teams will meet in the return leg in one week, but judging from Thursday's performances, Tottenham will need a minor miracle to turn this tie around.

As shared by the club's official Twitter account, Spurs decided to hand youngster Joshua Onomah the chance to start, a risky move against a powerful and prolific Dortmund squad. Harry Kane took a seat on the bench:

The first chance of the match fell to Christian Eriksen, who tried his luck with a shot from outside the box, but after that, the hosts completely took control. Gonzalo Castro narrowly missed the target after a clever pass from Reus, and the 23-year-old went close again moments later, poking the ball wide after a good pass from Aubameyang.

With Dele Alli sitting the match out due to a suspension, Spurs' midfield was completely overrun. Eric Durm found plenty of success penetrating the box, and Toby Alderweireld could only just keep him from scoring on one of those occasions.

Aubameyang had the ball in the net for a first time, but the official correctly ruled the goal out for offside. The Gabon international found plenty of success early, and Copa90 urged Spurs to calm down:

DW Sports' Stefan Bienkowski also noted how Dortmund dominated the first 25 minutes:

As the first half wore on, Tottenham's defence appeared to settle down, although possession still favoured the hosts. Spurs barely ever made it out of their half, and a goal for the Bundesliga side seemed inevitable.

Aubameyang finally found the breakthrough after 30 minutes, powering home a header after a great cross from Marcel Schmelzer. Per Squawka Football, Aubameyang is having an incredible season:

Tom Carroll became the first man to get booked, and Reus floated the ensuing free-kick just wide of the post.

Per Squawka Football, Spurs' heat map in the first half looked damning:

The pace of the match dropped slightly in the final minutes of the first half, and both teams seemed happy to head for the dressing room with the 1-0 scoreline.

Dortmund didn't push for a second goal immediately after the break, but they sent another clear warning shot to Spurs after 50 minutes, as Castro smashed a shot off the post. 

Heung-Min Son then wanted a penalty after a duel with Sven Bender, although replays confirmed there was minimal contact. NBC Sport's Robbie Mustoe thought the Spurs man had a case, however:

Dortmund had a handful of minor chances early in the second half, and their inability to turn those into goals had to be worrisome. Fortunately for the hosts, they found an all-important second goal after 61 minutes, with Reus converting from close range after a clever set-piece routine.

Per DW Sports, the two-goal cushion could prove vital:

Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino took off Eriksen, who had a disappointing night, for Erik Lamela, who managed to get himself booked minutes after coming on. Nothing was working for Spurs, and a third Dortmund goal looked more likely than a pivotal away goal.

Die Schwarzgelben lowered the tempo of their passing but kept looking for openings, and with 20 minutes left to play, Reus all but finished the tie. Aubameyang created space for Castro, who lofted a perfect cross in the path of the Germany international at the back post.

James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo weighed in on the action:

Kane was given 14 minutes of playing time as Spurs tried to limit the damage by scoring an away goal, while Dortmund also made some chances, taking off their two scorers.

Spurs produced some late pressure that saw Mats Hummels on the verge of getting booked for a handful of rash tackles, but the score remained the same, as Dortmund took a commanding lead heading for the second leg.

The return leg will be played in one week, and given their healthy lead and clear superiority on the pitch, Dortmund will feel confident of grabbing another win at White Hart Lane.

Post-Match Reaction

Per Spurs' official Twitter account, youngster Onomah had mixed feelings about his European debut: "It was a good moment for me but not the result we wanted. Credit to them, they were very good."

Alderweireld urged his team-mates to focus on the Premier League match against Aston Villa: "For now we have to focus on an important game at Villa on Sunday and then we'll think about the return leg."

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