Borussia Dortmund vs. Ajax: UEFA Champions League CONFIRMED line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!
Erling Haaland is once again missing for Borussia Dortmund as they seek revenge against Sebastien Haller’s Ajax in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday (kick-off: 9pm CET).
As it happened!
1 - 3
(1 - 0)
Dortmund
FINAL
Ajax
Champions League Matchday 4 Matchday 4 Signal Iduna Park
Full-time
90'
+ 3
DORTMUND BEATEN
The scoreline flatters Ajax, who book their place in the last 16. Dortmund - reduced to 10 men in the 29th minute - are now level on points with Sporting, whom they face away on Matchday 5.
Three additional minutes for Dortmund to find an equaliser. On the balance of play, they deserve one...
83'
HEARTBREAK FOR DORTMUND
Dortmund are undone by another ball into the danger zone, Haller meeting Antony's delivery with a powerful header from six yards. Ajax lead on the night for the first time...
Malen's first contribution is a fierce shot that's straight at Pasveer. Can the Dutchman work his magic in the closing stages?
76'
DOUBLE CHANGE
Reus has worked hard all night, but Tigges has plouged a lonely furrow since Hummels' red card. Rose will also have an eye to this weekend's clash with Leipzig in the Bundesliga, as Messrs Knauff and Malen enter the fray.
Ajax make a spell of sustained pressure count. Pongracic inadvertently helps on Antony's cross, allowing Tadic to scramble past Kobel from close range.
Dortmund continue to cause Ajax problems, with Brandt heavily involved whenever they come forward. Anyone would think the visitors were a man light, not BVB!
49'
OVER FROM BELLINGHAM
Strong play from Bellingham in the Ajax half, but he can't keep his shot down. Positive start from BVB...
46'
TALKING TACTICS
Alvarez was already on a booking, so that makes sense for Erik ten Hag to introduce fresh legs in the midfield engine room. Former Bremen man Davy Klaassen is on.
Wolf warms the palms of Pasveer with the last meaningful kick of the half. BVB go in at the break a man down, but a goal up!
45'
KOBEL!
Berghuis is through on goal with only Kobel to beat, but the Dortmund stopper makes himself very big and saves. No wonder they call him "the monster keeper"!
41'
ROUTINE SAVE
Antony tries his luck, but doesn't seriosuly test Kobel in the BVB goal. Marco Rose will be delighted with his side's response to losing Hummels to that red card.
37'
DORTMUND LEAD!
There's a VAR review as Mazraoui tangles with Bellingham in the box. Penalty-kick is the decision, and Reus steps up to fire BVB in front!
Hammer blow to Dortmund's hopes of getting a positive result. Hummels slides in a touch late as Antony tries to spin away just inside the Dortmund half. The referee pulls out a red card, with VAR confirming his decision. Big ask for BVB now...
Kobel is called into action to repel a speculative strike from Gravenberch. Haller's sniffing around the follow-up, but the flag had already been raised.
18'
HALLER DANGER
There's a mix-up at the back for Dortmund involving Hummels and Akanji. Haller smells blood, but his goal-bound attempt is blocked. Let-off for BVB.
13'
CHANCE!
Bellingham takes the bull by the horns and crosses for Hazard. It's right into the channel, but has just too much on it for his on-the-stretch teammate. Dortmund have their tails up.
8'
GOAL GAPING!
Dortmund really out to be in front. Hazard makes the most of a Martinez slip. He goes past Paveer and crosses for Bellingham, who heads wide of the open goal. You'd have put your house on that going in! So unlike the teenager!
2'
HUMMELS!
Dortmund win a free-kick as Hazard draws the foul form Blind. Brandt finds Hummels, who heads just wide. Early encouragement for the hosts!
Kick-off!
THE CHAAAAAAMPIONS!
The Champions League anthem plays out around the Signal Iduna Park. It's an electric atmosphere - kick-off is imminent...
WHO IS STEFFEN TIGGES?
Tigges, who has been a regular goalscorer for Dortmund's second team since joining from hometown club Osnabrück in 2019, opened his senior-team account at the 13th time of asking at the weekend. The 23-year-old makes his fourth start tonight, and second appearance in Europe.
Sebastien Haller scored 24 goals in 60 Bundesliga appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt before moving to Ajax, via West Ham United. The Frenchman's struck 13 times in 15 games so far this term, including six in the Champions League. Only Bayern's Robert Lewandowski has scored more during the group stage (eight).
Marco Rose has been impressed with Ajax, but knows his side have the tools to hurt the defending Dutch champions. ''Ajax are a good footballing side who look to dominate matches. We'll have to accept that there will be phases where they control the ball,'' commented the BVB head coach. ''If we have possession, they can't hurt us. That's what it will come down to tomorrow: making the right decisions in the right moments.''
Dortmund defender Mats Hummels believes the Black-Yellows will be much improved compared to their 4-0 loss in the Dutch capital. 'We want to do a lot better than we did in the first game and show right from the start that we want to win at home,'' he said. ''We have a lot to learn from the first game. Ajax are a good team, but I have no doubts that we'll show a different side of ourselves.''
BELLINGHAM STAYING PUT
Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has spoken out on the future of coveted teenaged midfielder Jude Bellingham. "Bellingham made a conscious decision in favour of Borussia and the concept that we presented to him," he told Bild. "His development in Dortmund is far from over. His head is very clear." The England international has started every game for BVB so far this season, producing three goals and six assists. He also leads the way for challenges won and distance covered.
2:03
WATCH: DORTMUND 2-0 COLOGNE
Dortmund preserved their unbeaten home run in all competitions this season with victory over Cologne. The result keeps BVB second in the Bundesliga, only a point behind defending champions Bayern Munich.
MORE ON THOSE TEAMS - DORTMUND
Centre-back Marin Pongracic drops to the bench in the only change to the BVB team that beat Cologne 2-0 on Saturday. Steffen Tigges, who scored from the bench in that game, starts in the Erling Haaland role. Thomas Meunier slots into the back three.
MORE ON THOSE TEAMS - AJAX
The visitors line up as they did in the reverse fixture, with former Eintracht Frankfurt striker Sebastien Haller leading the line. Noussair Mazraoui returns at right-back after missing Saturday's goalless draw with Heracles.
Dortmund host Ajax in UEFA Champions League Group C. They're second in the section after three matches, three points behind the Dutch giants and three clear of Sporting Lisbon. Can they bounce back from defeat in Amsterdam last time out? Stay tuned to find out...
Latest
A hip problem has seen Haaland miss two Bundesliga games and a DFB Cup tie since Dortmund’s trip to Amsterdam which saw them beaten on Matchday 3. However, BVB have had little trouble without the UEFA Men’s Forward of the Year, winning all three and scoring eight goals in the process. Thorgan Hazard has got three of the last four of those goals as he returns to full fitness following an ankle injury, and starts. Steffen Tigges - who came off the bench to score Dortmund's second goal against Cologne at the weekend - leads the line, with Dutchman Donyell Malen again among the subtitutes. Thomas Meunier takes up a position on the right-hand side of the back three as head coach Marco Rose bids to preserve Dortmund's 100 percent home record in all competitions this season.
Ajax are currently top of Group C, three points ahead of BVB in second, thanks to the Champions League’s six-goal top scorer, former Eintracht Frankfurt striker Haller. It’s 13 in all competitions for the Frenchman this season as the Dutch champions have blasted their way to the top of the Eredivisie, scoring 37 times and conceding only two in 11 league games. But the Amsterdam club were held to a goalless draw on Saturday by strugglers Heracles, cutting their lead over PSV Eindhoven to only two points. Goalkeeper Andre Onana has just now resumed training following a lengthy ban, while veteran Maarten Stekelenburg is still injured, so 37-year-old Remko Pasveer has been first choice in goal for former Bayern Munich reserves coach Erik ten Hag. Right-back Noussair Mazraoui missed the weekend through illness, but is passed fit to start. The only other former Bundesliga player in this Ajax squad is one-time Werder Bremen midfielder Davy Klaassen.
Watch:Dortmund got the better of Cologne at the weekend
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Match stats
Jude Bellingham has one goal and two assists in three Champions League matches this season
Malen started out in the Ajax academy before leaving for Arsenal at the age of 16. He returned to the Netherlands and netted 55 goals in 116 appearances for PSV before moving to Germany this summer.
A UEFA Youth League winner as coach of Red Bull Salzburg with nine wins out of nine, Rose will oversee his 12th Champions League fixture with his current record reading W4, D2, L5.
Ajax pair Klaassen (Bremen, 2018–20) and Haller (Frankfurt 2017–19) previously played in the Bundesliga. Haller was a teammate of Dortmund’s Marius Wolf in Frankfurt during the 2017/18 season.
Ajax have lost on four of their last six trips to Germany. That includes a 1-0 defeat to Dortmund in September 2012, when Robert Lewandowski got a late winner a Champions League group-stage clash. BVB topped their group that season and made it all the way to the final.
Ajax coach Ten Hag was head coach of Bayern’s second team between 2013 and 2015.
