Tottenham 1-2 Borussia Dortmund: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double sends Spurs crashing out

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a fine double as Borussia Dortmund produced a performance worthy of their status as Europa League favourites to send Tottenham Hotspur crashing out at White Hart Lane. The Gabon international took his tally for the season to 32 with efforts in either half and though Heung-Min Son responded for the hosts Thomas Tuchel's side cruised into the quarter-finals.

Mauricio Pochettino left out Harry Kane from the start ahead of the remaining eight Premier League games of the season, but even the presence of the club's top scorer would not have influenced a tie which was controlled for long periods by the German giants. Aubameyang illuminated a slow start to the game with a fine opener which fizzed past Hugo Lloris, before firing through the Spurs stopper with 20 minutes left to confirm the 5-1 aggregate win.

The result leaves Tottenham without the burden of mid-week European football, though it does leave their hopes of ending an otherwise impressive campaign with silverware and qualification for the Champions League solely down to their domestic results. A torrid evening was capped by injury to Ben Davies, who went off with a head blow, and Eric Dier who limped through the final 10 minutes.

Despite being swept aside seven days ago, Pochettino resisted the temptation to name a full-strength side for the visit of Dortmund, with Kane and Danny Rose left on the bench while Kyle Walker, Mousa Dembele and Christian Eriksen were all rested. Opposite number Tuchel, whose side are five points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, made three alterations but retained goalscorers from the first leg Aubameyang and Marco Reus.

The north London club had suffered their biggest Europa League defeat ever a week ago and required a complete performance to maintain their interest in claiming a trophy they last won in 1984. However, having secured a margin of victory which would keep the tie alive four times this season, the hosts lived in hope they could yet turn the tie on its head.

In front of the onlooking Roy Hodgson, who had included five Tottenham players in his England squad to face Germany and Netherlands, the home side were stifled in the opening exchanges and lost their full-back Davies to a head injury. The dazed Wales international collided with Lloris and though he was allowed to continue by his medical team he was soon replaced by Rose.

With Son and Nacer Chadli failing to provide any thrust in attack, Dortmund were untroubled at the back and they should have put the tie to bed themselves when Henrikh Mkhitaryan's back heel found Reus but his shot whistled wide. The 1998 Champions League winners had their away goal soon enough however as Aubameyang's swerving shot beat the despairing Lloris, after Erik Lamela was dispossessed.

Though Tottenham required five goals to knock out Dortmund they were unable to lay siege on the visitors' goal, with Son's skewed effort wide the closest they came during a frustrating first 45 minutes. Mkhitaryan could have piled on the misery in the twilight of the half after running clear but Toby Alderweireld's despairing block ensured the score was at the very least respectable at the break.

A lacklustre start to the second period underlined Dortmund's dominance, with the vocal battle between both side's supporters in the stands possessing greater competitiveness than the game itself. The Bundesliga side put a garnish on their performance with a second goal though as Aubameyang crashed home after Reus had dragged Rose out of position.

The away side switched off momentarily following the goal and allowed Spurs to grab a consolation as Son latched onto Neven Subotic's poor back pass to round Roman Weidenfeller and slide into an empty net. It gave the home faithful something to shout about but there was little doubt over the result, which leaves Tottenham's pursuit of the silverware and a Champions League place for next term resting on their fortunes in the Premier League.