Africa
Borussia Dortmund will play the Champions League final for the fist time in 11 years after they defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in France on Tuesday.
PSG hit the woodwork four times, while Dortmund needed only Mats Hummels’ header in the 50th minute to seal their spot in the final at London’s Wembley on June 1.
The German side won the first leg 1-0 last week.
Wembley hosted Dortmund when they played their most recent Champions League final in 2013.
Back then, they were defeated 2-1 by Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.
Hummels was part of the squad who had to settle for second place 11 years ago, as well as forward Marco Reus.
Reus said last week that he will leave Dortmund at the end of the season after more than 21 years of service.
The German clubs could have rematch of their 2013 final if Bayern overcome Real Madrid in Spain on Wednesday after a 2-2 draw in the first leg.
Overall, this is the third time Dortmund would play the Champions League final.
Though the 2013 game didn’t go their way, they won the trophy in 1997.
Tuesday’s loss meant another champion’s league misery for Kylian Mbappe, who had the sight of goal for the first time in the seventh minute of the match.
He, however, did not hit his volley the way he would have liked as the ball went straight to Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
The guests had the best chance of the first half in a counter-attack after Nico Scholotterback cleared a dangerous cross.
Dortmund looked set to get the opener when Karim Adeyemi burst away from two markers, but keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma stretched his hand to make a big save.
PSG could have levelled the tie shortly after the break as Gonçalo Ramos flicked Mbappe’s cross up in the air and the ball fell to Warren Zaïre-Emery, who hit the post from close range.
But Dortmund found a quick response to put down PSG’s initial spark in the second half and were on target in the 50th.
Julian Brandt’s corner came in from the left and Hummels got away from Lucas Beraldo to head the ball in.
PSG were again denied by the post in the 61st after Nuno Mendes had a go from long range.
Dortmund, meanwhile, thought they had a second when Hummels scored in the 77th, but he was offside.
To complete their dreadful evening, the Paris team hit the woodwork two more times – Mbappe in the 86th and Vitinha in the 88th minute.(dpa/NAN)
F.A
May 8, 2024
Tags: Borussia Dortmund defeats PSG Champions League
