Borussia Dortmund lost 2-0 at Paris St. Germain to start the Champions League group stage. BVB only woke up late against the French side, who were superior for a long time.
PSG coach Luis Enrique opted for three changes after the 3-2 home defeat to Nice in Ligue 1: Marquinhos, Ugarte and ex-Frankfurt player Kolo Muani started in place of Danilo Pereira, Soler and Goncalo Ramos (all bench).
Dortmund coach Edin Terzic made two changes after Saturday’s 4-2 win in Freiburg in the Bundesliga. Wolf and Süle replaced Bensebaini and Haller. Terzic thus sacrificed an attacker in favour of a third centre-back.
Sabitzer has to go off early, Vitinha at the posts
The defensive tactical alignment already suggested it: Dortmund gave Paris a lot of possession from the start and tried to counterattack at lightning speed from time to time. BVB was unlucky early on in the game, as Sabitzer grabbed his groin and adductor after a short sprint and had to be replaced by Nmecha shortly afterwards (14.). Shortly afterwards, Dortmund even had the first clear-cut goal of the match in the person of Malen (14.). As a result, however, PSG became increasingly dominant.
Vitinha failed to score for the French side in the 19th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area at the inside of the post. After that, Paris remained clearly superior (almost 80 per cent ball possession in the first half). Again and again, however, the French lacked the last bit of luck in the decisive moment; also because Borussia was close to the opponents again and again, at least in the centre of the penalty area.
However: Apart from the opening phase, Dortmund repeatedly lost the ball too quickly in the build-up, so that there was hardly any relief for the Terzic eleven until the interval whistle from referee Jesus Gil Manzano.
Mbappé converts handball, Hakimi elegant
Shortly after the break, however, Paris were awarded a handball: Mbappé tried to pass Dembelé’s cross into the middle, but hit Süle’s arm – again from very close range and with a not unnatural hand position. Manzano awarded a penalty kick, which was upheld even after the VAR check. Mbappé converted confidently, although Kobel had guessed the corner (49.).
Borussia then tried to become more offensive. But a wonderful combination of Vitinha and the ex-Dortmund Hakimi made it 2:0 a little later: The Moroccan finished the action past Kobel with the outside of his foot into the goal (58.).
Wolf also stricken – Bynoe-Gittens at the posts
Terzic then brought on Füllkrug for Brandt and Malen (62.). Although BVB was able to open up the game, clear goal-scoring chances remained scarce – until the 79th minute, when Bynoe-Gittens failed with the best BVB chance of the game at the left far post after the interplay of two jokers with Reus. Another goal, however, was not to be scored.
The next match for Dortmund is a home game against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday (3.30 p.m.), while AC Milan visit Westphalia in the Champions League on 4 October (9 p.m.). The Parisians face Olympique Marseille in “Le Classique” on Sunday (8.45 p.m.), in the top flight PSG parallel BVB at Newcastle United.
