Match ends, Borussia Dortmund 1, Paris Saint Germain 0.
Niclas Fullkrug scored a brilliant first half winner as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris St-Germain 1-0 in a frenetic first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The German international used his right foot to expertly bring down a long ball before hammering home with his left foot to give Dortmund a 36th-minute lead.
After a poor first half, PSG missed several chances to equalise in the second, with Kylian Mbappe curling an effort off the inside of the post before Achraf Hakimi struck the woodwork moments later.
Fullkrug should have scored a second after great work down the right flank from on-loan Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho but the striker could only blaze over the bar from five yards out.
In their third Champions League meeting of the season, Dortmund got the better of the Ligue 1 winners with the directness of their play, their aggression and tenacity.
PSG controlled much of the first half but failed to record a shot on target while Dortmund carved out opportunities.
Marcel Sabitzer had a super chance to double Dortmund's lead on the stroke of half-time but his close-range volley was superbly saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
PSG manager Luis Enrique rallied his side at the break and Mbappe's first major moment in the game came in the 51st minute with the France captain hitting the post with a trademark cut in from the left.
Moments later the ball fell to former Dortmund right-back Hakimi and his effort, just like Mbappe's, stuck the inside of the opposite post and ran to safety.
Ousmane Dembele, another ex-Dortmund player, blazed a glorious chance over the bar with 10 minutes left while Fullkrug though he deserved a penalty after being nudged in the back when he appeared set to head in Julian Brandt's cross.
The 1-0 scoreline leaves this tie finely balanced for the second leg at Parc des Princes on Tuesday.
Sancho shines on the big stage
England international Sancho was the best player on the pitch at the Signal Iduna Park.
PSG left-back Nuno Mendes did not know how to deal with the lightning quick feet of the Manchester United loanee and now has six days to find a way to deal with the 24-year-old before the second leg.
In one brilliant second-half moment, Sancho feigned to go left before dinking the ball over the leg of Mendes and then delivering a pinpoint cross which Fullkrug hit over the bar.
Sancho has had plenty of doubters after a difficult spell at Old Trafford following his £73m move from Dortmund in 2021.
He was left out of the United squad to face Arsenal in September 2023 and later took to social media to say he "felt like a scapegoat".
A refusal to apologise to manager Erik ten Hag led to his January loan reunion with Dortmund - the place where he made his name - in an attempt to rediscover his form.
On the basis of this performance, that move has paid off and Sancho is back to his best.
And United fans will be left wondering what might have been.
Player of the match
FüllkrugNiclas Füllkrug
Borussia Dortmund
Avg
- Squad number14Player nameFüllkrugAverage rating
7.69
- Squad number27Player nameAdeyemiAverage rating
7.62
- Squad number22Player nameMaatsenAverage rating
7.54
- Squad number11Player nameReusAverage rating
7.50
- Squad number15Player nameHummelsAverage rating
7.37
- Squad number8Player nameNmechaAverage rating
7.37
- Squad number20Player nameSabitzerAverage rating
7.35
- Squad number4Player nameSchlotterbeckAverage rating
7.33
- Squad number17Player nameWolfAverage rating
7.10
- Squad number19Player nameBrandtAverage rating
7.08
- Squad number23Player nameCanAverage rating
6.97
- Squad number26Player nameRyersonAverage rating
6.90
- Squad number18Player nameMoukokoAverage rating
6.85
- Squad number1Player nameKobelAverage rating
6.70
- Squad number10Player nameSanchoAverage rating
5.59
Paris Saint Germain
Avg
- Squad number2Player nameHakimiAverage rating
5.82
- Squad number5Player nameMarquinhosAverage rating
5.61
- Squad number21Player nameHernándezAverage rating
5.52
- Squad number99Player nameG DonnarummaAverage rating
5.44
- Squad number10Player nameDembéléAverage rating
5.37
- Squad number17Player nameVitinhaAverage rating
5.37
- Squad number29Player nameBarcolaAverage rating
5.35
- Squad number25Player nameNuno MendesAverage rating
5.33
- Squad number33Player nameZaïre-EmeryAverage rating
5.29
- Squad number8Player nameRuizAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number7Player nameMbappéAverage rating
5.16
- Squad number35Player nameBeraldoAverage rating
4.38
- Squad number23Player nameKolo MuaniAverage rating
4.18
Line-ups
B Dortmund
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Kobel
- 26RyersonSubstituted forWolfat 87'minutes
- 15Hummels
- 4SchlotterbeckBooked at 73mins
- 22MaatsenBooked at 19mins
- 20Sabitzer
- 23Can
- 10Sancho
- 19BrandtSubstituted forNmechaat 87'minutes
- 27AdeyemiSubstituted forReusat 83'minutes
- 14FüllkrugSubstituted forMoukokoat 90+1'minutes
Substitutes
- 6Özcan
- 8Nmecha
- 9Haller
- 11Reus
- 17Wolf
- 18Moukoko
- 21Malen
- 25Süle
- 33Meyer
- 35Lotka
- 38Wätjen
- 43Bynoe-Gittens
PSG
Formation 4-3-3
- 99G Donnarumma
- 2Hakimi
- 5Marquinhos
- 21HernándezSubstituted forLopes Beraldoat 42'minutes
- 25Nuno Mendes
- 33Zaïre-Emery
- 17Vitinha
- 8RuizBooked at 53mins
- 10Dembélé
- 7Mbappé
- 29BarcolaSubstituted forKolo Muaniat 65'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Navas
- 4Ugarte
- 9Gonçalo Ramos
- 11Asensio
- 15Danilo
- 19Lee Kang-in
- 23Kolo Muani
- 26Mukiele
- 28Soler
- 35Lopes Beraldo
- 37Skriniar
- 80Tenas
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 81,365
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home43%
- Away57%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home4
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Borussia Dortmund 1, Paris Saint Germain 0.
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Youssoufa Moukoko replaces Niclas Füllkrug.
Post update
Attempt missed. Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint Germain) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Fabián Ruiz with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Borussia Dortmund. Conceded by Beraldo.
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Felix Nmecha replaces Julian Brandt.
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Marius Wolf replaces Julian Ryerson because of an injury.
Post update
Attempt missed. Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint Germain) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Vitinha.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match because of an injury Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund).
Post update
Foul by Vitinha (Paris Saint Germain).
Post update
Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) header from the centre of the box is too high.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Marco Reus replaces Karim Adeyemi.
Post update
Attempt missed. Vitinha (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ousmane Dembélé.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint Germain) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Achraf Hakimi.
Post update
Corner, Paris Saint Germain. Conceded by Julian Ryerson.
Post update
Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint Germain) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund).
Comments
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A proper football league with fair pricing for the working class backbone of their said clubs.
Well done Dortmund 💪
Germany know how to reign in the corporate greed consuming much of today's football.
One of the best players on the park tonight and he is easily the lowest rated!?
To play in front of those incredible fans must be a dream.
Definitely the 12th man and they got their team through tonight against a very talented PSG team who I believe will ultimately get through and win the competition.
Fans sat down drinking beer 🍺 🍺 eating frankfurters and enjoying themselves 🍺