Dortmund and Apoel on brink of UCL elimination after draw

Borussia Dortmund and APOEL Nicosia played to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday which left both facing near-certain elimination from the Champions League.

Dortmund dominated but Raphael Guerreiro's opener was canceled out by Mickael Pote, who scored for APOEL in their second successive 1-1 draw with the Bundesliga side.

The draw left Dortmund and APOEL third and fourth, respectively, in Group H on two points apiece.

For either to qualify, they must now beat both Tottenham and Real Madrid in their final two group games. Group leader Tottenham defeated Real 3-1 in Wednesday's other game in Group H to advance to the knockout stage.

Dortmund put their visitors from Cyprus under pressure from the start, and took the lead in the 29th minute when Shinji Kagawa's pass opened up space behind the defense for Guerreiro to chip the goalkeeper.

Pote hit back for APOEL in the 51st. Carlao hooked in a low cross from the left and, though Pote almost lost the ball with his first touch, he recovered to turn and shoot past Dortmund keeper Roman Burki.

Dortmund piled the pressure on APOEL's goal and frequently went close. APOEL's players made desperate goalline clearances and were saved by the crossbar in the 77th when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's header bounced off the woodwork and down.

Frequent penalty appeals from Dortmund's players were turned down.