Today, Borussia Dortmund shocked Paris Saint-Germain players and their fans as the Black and Yellow defeated the Parisians at their home ground, Parc De Princes, by 1-0 (2-0 on aggregate) in the second leg of the Uefa Champions League semi-finals.
A brilliant second-half goal from Borussia Dortmund veteran player Mats Hummels ensured that the Black and Yellow reached Wembley to play the final of the Uefa Champions League 2024 for the second time in their career after losing against their arch-rivals FC Bayern Munich in 2013.
Borussia Dortmund’s Tight Defending Stopped PSG
Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain defeated the same opponent in the group stage by 2-0, but they failed to repeat the same feat against a determined Dortmund, who took the match from their own hands at their home ground, Parc de Princes, Paris.
The match started better for the hosts when the French run-machine Kylian Mbappe produced the first chance for the Parisians under seven minutes, but the volley was easily saved by Dortmund’s Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. The hosts had the most possession in the entire game, but they struggled to pass the ball to the French skipper, Mbappe, who was playing on the wing.
The Black and Yellow also produced their best chance in the first half when German 22-year-old Karim Adeyemi led a counter-attack and took a first shot towards the hosts’ goal but was easily saved by PSG’s in-form Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. In the second half, the Parisians again created the best chance in the whole game after Goncalo Ramos touched the ball, which was provided by Mbappe to the French midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery, who failed to convert it into a goal as he missed the shot from a close range as the ball hit the post.
However, the Black and Yellow made it 1-0( 2-0 on aggregate) in the 50th minute when PSG conceeded a corner and it was taken by the Julian Brandt which was brilliantly converted by the veteran German defender Mats Hummels who headed the shot straight towards the hosts’ nets to increase their lead and chances to play in the final.
After the goal, PSG increased their attacking chances by bringing in Bradley Barcola and Marco Asensio, but they failed to find the net because of the brilliant defending by veteran Mats Hummels and Dortmund left-back Nico Schlotterbeck. In the whole match, Edin Terzic’s Borussia Dortmund looked the dominant side in terms of their attacking opportunities and defending skills, which prevented a strong Paris Saint-Germain side from winning the match at their home ground.
What is the Future of PSG After This Loss?
It looks like it is Paris-Saint-Germain’s habit of losing the semi-finals of the Uefa Champions League. But in some ways, it is the painful reality that they suffer more often in the match than they have created their demise or downfall by their own hands. Regardless of their failure, the current squad was assembled with younger players, but it was not surprising either that they lost the game to a more experienced Dortmund side who perfected their plan flawlessly.
Whether Luis Enrique will remain in the side or not, his team created the best chances in the entire match, but they missed it due to Enrique’s poor positioning of his players, like playing Mbappe in the winger position rather than in the striker position. On the other hand, Borussia Dortmund looked the much better side in the entire game, and it can be seen by their playing that they want to play the finals of the Uefa Champions League 2024 at Wembley Stadium, so they can give a parting gift to their departing German player Marco Reus.
The game almost looked similar to how Real Madrid went on to win against reigning champions Manchester City at their home ground, Etihad Stadium, on penalties in the second leg of the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals.
Player of the Match
It was a close contest between Nico Schlotterbeck and Mats Hummels, but in the end, it was always the veteran 34-year-old Mats Hummels who played a crucial role in the match and also gave the Black and Yellow the lead to hamper the hopes for Paris-Saint-Germain players and the fans.
PSG 0-1 BORUSSIA DORTMUND#PSG players collapse in disbelief at losing while the #BVB players celebrate with the fans. What an incredible endingpic.twitter.com/s8yHKh7pfO
— World Soccer Talk (@worldsoccertalk) May 7, 2024
After the match ended, the Dortmund players went on to celebrate with the fans by wearing the ‘London 24’ T-shirts in the stands.
