In the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, Borussia Dortmund defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0, breaking through Paris Saint-Germain’s favoured lead with an aggregate win of 2-0. This triumph marks an epoch in Borussia Dortmund’s journey, a team viewed as ordinary and lacking in big stars, has achieved a feat truly remarkable. Despite constant dismissals and doubts this season, Dortmund appeared to rise from the ashes, starting with a victorious stand in the challenging Champions League group, surpassing Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, and Newcastle.
Facing Atlético Madrid in the quarter-finals, they proved critics wrong. Again, they posed a challenge against Paris Saint-Germain’s expected surge from a 1-0 fall in the first leg of these semi-finals. On home front, Dortmund might be on a difficult fifth position in Bundesliga, however, their energy levels seem to escalate in this thrilling competition, achieving its zenith in the match at the Parc des Princes.
They dominated the grounds with their undying spirit. Their team, though struggled to make a significant headway in the past decade, caught Paris Saint-Germain off guard with their steely resolve and full-throttled defence strategy. The critical goal was scored by Mats Hummels making it an unimaginable night for Paris Saint-Germain and shining bright on Dortmund’s journey.
Luis Enrique’s team couldn’t gear back up in time. Despite hurling their best at Dortmund in the second half and hitting the goalpost a astonishing four times, missing thrice post Hummels’s goal, they weren’t able to alter the course of the game. The precision deficiency became their Achilles heel and Dortmund’s celebration knew no bounds.
The electrifying environment within Dortmund during the first leg and its echoing continuity in the second is worth a mention. The locals were persistent on maintaining the almost tangible electrifying energy. However, the intensity only escalated as time unfolded.
The statistics tell the tale – for Paris Saint-Germain, this was their fourth attempt at European Cup semi-final, having made it to the final stage only once before. For Dortmund, this marked their fifth venture and aim to secure a third final; seeking to echo the glorious achievement of ’97’s triumphant side against Juventus, comprising football greats like Matthias Sammer, Paul Lambert, Karl-Heinz Riedle, and their ilk.
Edin Terzic’s squad was thoroughly tested in what can be described as a sensory onslaught. All of his 10 field starters from the initial game against Augsburg were given a rest by the manager on Saturday; he had no intention of drastically deviating from the strategy that earned them a slight advantage previous week.
In a surprising move, Luis Enrique decided to start with Gonçalo Ramos as the striker which created an opportunity for Kylian Mbappé to play on the left – potentially his most threatening position. Bradley Barcola was relegated to the substitutes’ bench. Faced with Terzic’s mandate of not ceding anything in between the lines, PSG understood that precision, alongside patience, would be key. The firmness of the structure sans the ball was crucial.
In the first leg of the game, Jadon Sancho had shone and seemed to grow in confidence throughout. His ability to give Nuno Mendes a challenging evening was noted. He showed a desire to continue in the same vein in this game, projecting an encouraging assurance in carrying the ball and an ability to pose probing questions. The response of the home supporters when Mendes overpowered him spoke volumes.
Throughout the initial half, PSG was confronted with a wall of yellow – the Dortmund squad moving as one. Julian Brandt found his role on the left of a midfield trio – pulling back when not in possession. Brandt, along with Marcel Sabitzer, was not averse to making bold forward runs.
In the first half, Terzic’s strategy played out beautifully. PSG had control for the majority of the first half, but failed to produce anything that posed a significant threat. When potential opportunities for a critical pass or shot developed, PSG fell into a rushed panic, with Ousmane Dembélé’s 31st-minute off-target shot being a prime example. The closest PSG came prior to the half-time was a well-positioned chance by Dembélé, which nevertheless failed to get near the target.
There was lingering anticipation that Dortmund could strike a counter blow. They nearly did exactly that at the 36-minute mark when Mbappé missed a half-chance. In response, Karim Adeyemi charged the full length of the field and released a powerful ground shot that was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma’s left hand. The sequence stood out as a potential game-changer.
As the second half of the match began, the atmosphere was electrified by countless crimson flares illuminating the Virage Auteuil. The staunch supporters of PSG were yearning for a glimmer of brilliance from their side. A possibility arose when Mbappé sent a cross in after a brief corner. The football veered off track, presenting an opportunity to Warren Zaïre-Emery at the far end. Despite the challenging angle, an open section of the net awaited his shot. Sadly, Zaïre-Emery’s aim hit the post instead.
PSG found themselves grappling to gain control of the game. A casual pass rebounded back from Marquinhos’ boot, made after winging a struggle, cost them an unwanted corner. His error was amplified when Hummels capitalised on Brandt’s pass to catapult the ball into the net, and the travelling Dortmund crowd erupted in elation. The question hung – why was there no marking? The nearest defender to Hummels, Lucas Beraldo, was not even close enough.
Fuelled by sheer desperation, PSG continued to play on their raw emotions. As Ramos squandered a few moderate opportunities, Mendes shot that was on target ricocheted off the far post. PSG, it seemed, were on the wrong side of narrow margins.
The sentiment only grew stronger when both Mbappé and Vitinha struck the framework towards the end stages. – Guardian.