Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Borussia Dortmund
(Borussia Dortmund win 2-0 on aggregate)
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN exited the Champions League at the semi-final stage as a Mats Hummels goal earned Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win at the Parc de Princes to send them through 2-0 on aggregate.
Hummels headed in from a corner at the start of second half, moments after PSG had wasted a golden chance to level the tie when Warren Zaire-Emery crashed the ball against the post from close range.
It was one of four occasions on the night when Luis Enrique’s side struck the woodwork. In the end, they paid for their wastefulness in front of goal across the two legs, failing to score form 45 attempts, as Edin Terzic’s clinical visitors dug in to reach their third final where they will face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich on 1 June.
In a first half starved of clear openings, the game almost broke open for both sides after 35 minutes. First Kylian Mbappe was prevented from reaching Fabian Ruiz’s cut-back by a superb interception from Hummels, the defender sliding in to nick the ball away from the France international as he waited to pounce 10 yards from goal.
Dortmund broke, and in a flash Karim Adeyemi was running at an exposed PSG defence. Advancing into the penalty area, he drew back his left foot and fired low only to be denied by a strong palm thrust out brilliantly by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Earlier, Ousmane Dembele had lashed high and wide at the near post after Mbappe’s burst infield had taken three Dortmund players out of the game.
On the whole, it was a first period in which the visitors contained the threat of PSG and doggedly guarded their lead in the tie.
Enrique’s team should have led in the first moments of the second half. Mbappe’s cross flicked off the head of Marcel Sabitzer, Goncalo Ramos reached for it and turned into the path of Zaire-Emery, who lashed it against the post.
Within minutes they were made to rue their profligacy in the tie. From Julian Brandt’s corner, Hummels cleverly stepped away from his marker Lopes Beraldo and thumped his header at the back post beyond Donnarumma.
Ramos lifted a shot over the bar from Vitinha’s square ball as PSG sought a riposte, before Nuno Mendes came within a whisker of levelling when he rattled the woodwork with a ripping long-range drive.
A breathless match took another twist when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after Dembele was tripped by Hummels, only to immediately commute the award to a free-kick, VAR confirming the contact happened fractionally outside the box.
Mbappe struck the bar after a goalmouth scramble with five minutes to play before Vitinha did likewise with a blistering drive.
Enrique’s side battled to the end, but as so often in this competition they ultimately came up short as Dortmund celebrated.
Congratulations to BVB! Great to see a proper club in the Champions League final, and no oil state sportswashing projects!
Another incredible result in this Champions League odyssey. The Group of Death topped, PSV’s undefeated until they faced us, written off ahead of Atleti, and the same against PSG. We might have no world class players, but we’ve a squad of hardworking, determined, hungry lads who give it all and that’s all ant Dortmund fan asks. Rode our luck at times again but got it done. Kobel superb as ever. Hummels aging like fine wine. I could praise everyone tonight. Flights booked for London now. Hopefully we can send Marco Reus off on the highest of highs. A repeat of 1997 please god. HEJA BVB!!!
@Ultán Corcoran: Smiley faces and thumbs up all round Ultan and a perfect sum up of the game.
I think Dortmund have the game to beat either Munich or Real in the final. Fingers crossed for you and Dortmund.
@Ultán Corcoran: brilliant result. Hope there’s only one winner now.
@Ultán Corcoran: well done bvb, good luck in the final ultan, will be routing for Yas.
Cheers lads, the support is always appreciated as ever! Fingers crossed for the final!
@Ultán Corcoran: is great to have a proper fan in the comments, best of luck in the final.
Brilliant result for football
@Fergus O’Connor: Class well done Ultan
@Noel Doherty: Did Ultan score the winner?
@Andrew Martin Farrell: Ultán is just my nickname. My real name is Mats Hummels.
With the sheer amount of vitriol and spam spewed on the rugby and premier league posts on this site, it’s lovely to see everyone genuinely happy for another team and specifically one supporter in Ultan.
@Conor: totally agree. Dortmund is a proper club with great fans, as well as a great Irish fan club – epitomised by Ultan. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Dortmund a couple of times and the stadium atmosphere is an experience to behold. The prem is genuinely not at the same level from a fan experience perspective.
@Conor: couldn’t agree more. Very refreshing all round. It is like another planet besides the usual rubbish ….. would like to see BD go on and win it. They ride their luck which might be a signal.
Really appreciate the kind words Conor and Daithi. Always welcome to the Westfalenstadion any time and glad you enjoyed your time there. Its a football temple! One big game to go!
When you take what Dortmund stand for vs what PSG stand for, it’s all just lovely what happened tonight.
Bundesliga with strong emphasis on fan ownership and involvement, cheap tickets….and then PSG and all their oil money, pointless ligue 1 titles, when all they want us a champions league.
Hope they go on and win it.
@Joshua Walsh: A really nice element of it for sure! Dortmund charged every away fan €20 a ticket from the Groupstage right the way up to the semi-final last Wednesday. By comparison it was supposedly anywhere from €120-200 for Borussen in Paris tonight. Can’t falt the PSG fans, but their owners symbolise nothing but greed as you say!
Someone check on Ultan. I’d say he has no nails left after that game.
@Cormac: They’ve come with a side of hair loss too. Camping in your own half for 30 minutes isn’t good for the body!
Congrats to Dortmund, always been a likeable team. Hope they go on to win now.
A all German Final would be nice to see. A hit and miss Munich and there’s a greater chance of Dortmund winning the champions league and that would be great to see I have been sick of Madrid winning the title.
Why stunned?