Dogged Dortmund undone by PSG’s assertive second-half display
BVB travelled to the French capital to face Paris St.Germain in the first of their Group F encounters. Coach Edin Terzić opted for an unorthodox 3-4-1-2 formation, with Schlotterbeck slotting into the three-man backline as Haller dropped out. Despite a resilient first-half showing, Die Schwarzgelben would be unlocked by the French champions who ran out 2-0 winners.
Akin to their performances against Manchester City last year, Dortmund adopted a defensively sound approach to account for PSG’s potent attack. Without the ball Terzić’s side resembled a 5-3-2 formation. Wolf and Ryerson staying touch tight with Mbappe and Dembele respectively.
Dortmund would lose Sabitzer in the 14th minute as Nmecha made his Champions League bow. PSG came closest when the ball smacked the upright – Vitinha the unlucky party to see his effort bounce away from danger. While some slack passing cut short any potential Dortmund breaks, what mattered more was the 0-0 scoreline at half-time.
However, inside four second-half minutes PSG took a 1-0 lead. Nicklas Süle extremely unfortunate to see the Spanish arbiter point to the spot for a soft penalty. Kobel guessed correctly but Mbappe’s strike was crisp and in the corner. The Parisiens’ lead doubled before the hour. Former BVB man Hakimi linked up with Vitinha to bend home from six yards.
As the substitutes rolled in, Bynoe-Gittens would be denied by the post with 10 minutes to play. Teed up by Füllkrug, the English prospect had Donnarumma beaten only for the post to rescue the hosts. Füllkrug’s header sailed wide on 88 minutes, and with that so too did BVB’s aspirations of taking any points home to the Ruhrpott.