Borussia Dortmund’s Niclas Fullkrug celebrates scoring in opposition to Paris St Germain within the first leg of the Champions League semifinal on May 1, 2024
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Niclas Füllkrug scored and Borussia Dortmund earned a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain within the first leg of their Champions League semifinal.
Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck despatched an extended move excessive for Füllkrug to manage brilliantly together with his first contact earlier than firing it previous PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma together with his subsequent within the thirty sixth minute on Wednesday.
“It’s not the first time that I’ve tried to stick the ball in at the near post this season. This time it worked out and I’m even happier that it’s in such an important game,” Füllkrug stated.
The win provides Dortmund a slender benefit earlier than the groups play once more within the second leg in Paris subsequent Tuesday, when the French champion might want to overturn the end result if it’ll seize Europe’s greatest prize earlier than Kylian Mbappé leaves the membership.
PSG is beneath strain to lastly win to the Champions League to justify greater than a decade of giant funding from its Qatari homeowners.
Dortmund’s win ensured it certified for the event subsequent season and it provides the Bundesliga 5 groups within the expanded event. Dortmund is assured of ending no less than fifth.
Roared on by a lot of the 81,365 followers current, together with the famed “yellow wall” behind one of many objectives, Dortmund made the busier begin and maintained its depth for the entire sport. The dwelling workforce ran 119.7 kilometers — virtually 10 greater than the guests.
Defender Lucas Hernández went off injured after making an attempt to cease Füllkrug from scoring. It appeared like Hernández suffered a left leg harm.
PSG pushed hardest early within the second half, when Mbappé hit the suitable put up earlier than Achraf Hakimi struck the left put up.
Gregor Kobel saved Mbappé’s subsequent effort and Dortmund survived the strain.
Füllkrug went on to overlook additional good possibilities for the German workforce, whereas Marquinhos made an important block to disclaim Julian Brandt late on.
“It would have been nice if we could have made our counterattacks count to get a second goal at the end,” Dortmund veteran Mats Hummels stated.
“But now we have to come through in Paris.” The guests missed possibilities, too.
Ousmane Dembelé ought to have scored on his return to Dortmund when he blazed a shot over late, then Vitinha flashed a shot extensive of the left put up.
“We tried to keep the ball from them but it’s so difficult because they have a lot of quality,” PSG coach Luis Enrique stated.
“They are a great team on the ball and off the ball. Today in that environment they were great in both aspects of the game. I think we had maybe a lack of intensity in the first half, but in the second half we created clear, clear chances. But we couldn’t score.”
Dortmund coach Edin Terzic solely made his first substitution within the 83rd, when he despatched on veteran Marco Reus for the exhausted Karim Adeyemi.
The winner of the two-leg tie will play both Real Madrid or Bayern Munich within the remaining in London on June 1. The previous rivals drew 2-2 of their semifinal first leg in Munich on Tuesday.
Source: www.thehindu.com
