BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund secured a crucial 1-0 lead over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal, thanks to a decisive goal from Niclas Fullkrug.
The match started evenly, with both teams creating opportunities. Ousmane Dembele and Marcel Sabitzer for Dortmund had chances to open the scoring, but the deadlock persisted until the 36th minute. Nico Schlotterbeck delivered a precise cross into the PSG box, finding Fullkrug who drove the ball past PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to give Dortmund the lead.
Dortmund maintained pressure, with Donnarumma making a critical save from a Sabitzer volley just before halftime. PSG intensified their attack after the break, with Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi hitting the post within minutes of each other, narrowly missing equalizers, reports Xinhua.
Despite PSG's strong efforts, Dortmund continued to threaten, notably when Fullkrug missed a close-range opportunity and later headed over the bar. The game remained open with both sides exchanging attacks in the final stages; Dembele and Vitinha for PSG missed their shots, while Julian Brandt's effort was blocked by Marquinhos at a crucial moment.
Dortmund's defense held strong, preserving their 1-0 victory to take into the second leg in Paris.
"It was a great team performance tonight. We helped each other and can be very delighted with the outcome of the game," commented Dortmund veteran defender Mats Hummels.
"The boys played a great game. They had opportunities to add more goals to the lead but of course we also were lucky twice. Overall, a great performance which gives us a great position for a tough second leg in Paris. We have a big chance to qualify for the Champions League final," said Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic.