Borussia Dortmund 1-0 Paris Saint-Germain: Fullkrug hands hosts first-leg win

Niclas Fullkrug fired home a first-half winner as Borussia Dortmund claimed a 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie in Germany.

Nico Schlotterbeck floated a pass into Fullkrug’s path and the Germany international brought the ball under his spell with a wonderful touch before drilling a low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute.

PSG, fresh from being crowned Ligue 1 champions and desperate to win their first ever Champions League trophy, found it hard going against a disciplined German defence, especially in the first half with forward Kylian Mbappe largely neutralised.

Luis Enrique’s men improved after the break, though, and they struck the woodwork twice in a matter of moments in the 51st minute.

Mbappe curled an effort against the right-hand post before Achraf Hakimi scuffed a shot against the other upright on the rebound as Edin Terzic’s hosts survived a huge scare.

5 – Borussia Dortmund have kept their fifth clean sheet in the Champions League this season, more than any other side. Wall. pic.twitter.com/UuYwIdkqH8

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) May 1, 2024

Only four minutes later, Fabian Ruiz saw his stooping header sail wide after being left completely unmarked in the box, then Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel kept out Ousmane Dembele’s close-range effort in the 71st minute.

Dortmund, Champions League winners in 1997 and looking to reach their first final since 2013, soaked up the pressure as PSG’s Vitinha narrowly missed the target 10 minutes later to leave the French side needing a win next week in Paris.

The Bundesliga outfit could even have extended their lead late on, with Fullkrug blasting over the top after being teed up by the outstanding Jadon Sancho and Marquinhos denying Julian Brandt with a heroic block.

The teams will meet again at the Parc des Princes next Tuesday, with the winners of the tie facing either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid – who drew 2-2 in their own first leg on Tuesday – in the final at Wembley Stadium.

FT: Borussia Dortmund 1-0 PSG

Advantage Dortmund in this UCL semi-final at the end of a thrilling 90 mins.

Nevertheless, PSG have progressed from two of their last four Champions League knockout ties when losing the first leg, the first of those coming against BVB in 2019-20. pic.twitter.com/ieKm0oNBUB

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) May 1, 2024