20/12 7:30 PM
21/12 2:30 PM
21/12 2:30 PM
21/12 2:30 PM
21/12 2:30 PM
21/12 2:30 PM
21/12 5:30 PM
22/12 2:30 PM
22/12 4:30 PM
Borussia Dortmund are looking to get their UEFA Champions League campaign off to a good start away to Lazio in Rome.
Borussia Dortmund are looking to get their UEFA Champions League campaign off to a good start away to Lazio in Rome. - © ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images
Borussia Dortmund are looking to get their UEFA Champions League campaign off to a good start away to Lazio in Rome. - © ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images
bundesliga

Lazio vs. Borussia Dortmund: UEFA Champions League CONFIRMED line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

xwhatsappmailcopy-link

Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet once again, but Borussia Dortmund were unable to get the start they wanted in the UEFA Champions League, losing 3-1 away to Lazio in Group F in Rome on Tuesday.

Advertisement

As it happened!

Lazio 3-1 Dortmund
Goals: 1-0
Immobile (6'), 2-0 Hitz (o.g. 23'), 2-1 Haaland (71'), 3-1 Akpa-Akpro (76')

FULL TIME!

It's all over. Not the start Dortmund wanted in the Champions League after a below par performance. They improved in the second half, particularly with Reyna, and they'll want to make amends in their remaining group games.

90'+3 ALMOST FROM SANCHO!

Brandt delivers a cross from the right and Sancho gets his head on it around the penalty spot. His looping effort looks like it might dip in, but Strakosha pushes it over for a corner.

90' INTO STOPPAGE TIME

There will be four minutes of extra time. The action is taking place exclusively in Lazio's half as Dortmund push for another goal to set up what would be a gripping finale, but Lazio are defending deep and in numbers.

88' ALMOST A FOURTH

Lazio counter quickly and a lofted ball from the left floats towards the back post, where Muriqi is arriving. He takes it on the volley but fires wide of the near post.

84' GUERREIRO OFF TARGET

The Portugal international wins a free-kick left of centre, about 30 yards out. He takes a shot but it's high and never worries Strakosha.

80' SO CLOSE FROM HAALAND!

Meunier stands up a cross from the right to the back post, where Haaland is arriving. He directs a powerful header at goal, but Strakosha tips it over.

Ahead of the corner, Lazio make two subs, with Parolo and Caicedo replacing Luis Alberto and Immobile.

78' REINIER FOR REUS

BVB make their third change, with captain Reus going off for 18-year-old Brazilian Reinier.

76' LAZIO SCORE AGAIN

Dortmund's momentum didn't last long as Immobile tears in behind Hummels and pulls the ball into the middle, where substitute Akpa-Akpro is first to it, flicking in for 3-1.

71' THE REYNA-HAALAND COMBO STRIKES AGAIN!

Dortmund finally pull a goal back and it's another Reyna-Haaland co-production. Reyna has the ball on the right-hand edge of the Lazio area and spies the striker lurking in the middle. His low pass finds him 12 yards out and Haaland lashes in his first Champions League goal of the campaign.

67' DOUBLE CHANGE FROM LAZIO

Milinkovic-Savic makes way for Akpa-Akpro, while Muriqi takes Correa's place up top.

66' OVER FROM GUERREIRO

Lovely, quick interplay between Reyna, Sancho and Haaland on the edge of the Lazio box, with the latter laying it off to Guerreiro. He strikes the ball really well, but it's always rising and sails over. That was a decent opportunity for BVB.

65' HERE COMES BRANDT

Favre throws on another attacker in Brandt, with Piszczek making way. Presumably Meunier will drop back into the back three to accomodate the Germany international in midfield.

61' BOOKINGS FOR REYNA AND DELANEY

There's a couple of hefty challenges in the middle of the park and the Dortmund pair both go into the referee's notebook.

58' GOOD OPENING FOR CORREA

Dortmund may have been in the ascendancy but Lazio are still dangerous on the counter. Correa dribbles at Delaney on the edge of the Dortmund box and cuts inside onto his left foot. He's got a free shot at Hitz's goal, but his effort is blocked by a last-ditch lunge from a defender.

55' OVER FROM REUS

A first real spell of sustained pressure from Dortmund. Hummels plays it wide to Sancho on the right, he jinks and jives his way past his marker before pulling the ball back to Reus on the edge of the box. He shoots first time... but shanks it high over the goal.

51' FIRST SUB FOR LAZIO

Luis Felipe is forced off with an injury. He's replaced by Hoedt in defence.

50' CHANCE FOR HAALAND!

A brilliant run from the Dortmund forward, cutting in from the right along the edge of the penalty area. He creates a pocket of space to shoot and fires an effort at goal, but it's straight at Strakosha.

48' SCRAPPY START

The teams are still trying to settle into a rhythm here. Possession is switching sides every couple of seconds.

46' SECOND HALF!

Lazio get the ball rolling once again. Dortmund have made an attacking change at the break, with Reyna coming on for Bellingham.

HALF-TIME

Referee Clement Turpin blows his whistle for the end of the first 45 minutes, giving Dortmund a chance to regroup. They haven't been at their best so far, and you suspect Reyna will be given a chance to unlock the home defence at some point in the second half.

Lazio's second goal has now officially been given as an own goal from Dortmund keeper Hitz.

44' WITSEL FROM DISTANCE

The Belgium international collects the ball just outside the Lazio area, left of centre, and drives towards goal. He shoots, but it's also deflected wide off a defender.

40' FIRST GLIMPSE FOR HAALAND

Guerreiro gets to the left-hand byline and pulls the ball back into the middle. It comes to Haaland on his preferred left foot, but his powerful low shot is deflected wide for a corner.

38' BVB WITH MORE POSSESSION AND PASSES

The visitors have had 55 per cent of possession so far, completing 221 passes compared to Lazio's 167.

36' CHEEKY CORNER

Luis Alberto goes for an olympico straight from the corner - it almost catches Hitz off guard, but he scrambles back to his line to tip over.

35' LEIVA THUNDERBOLT

A Lazio corner is headed clear of the BVB penalty area, but lands straight at the feet of Leiva, about 35 yards out. He smacks it first time on the volley and it's sailing towards goal, but it takes a deflection off Piszczek and goes wide.

31' NICE FROM LUIS ALBERTO

A neat ball down the left from Luis Alberto as both Correa and Immobile try to get behind the defence - but both are offside.

30' REUS FREE-KICK

Dortmund win a free-kick wide on the right, about 45 yards out. Reus takes it, curling an effort into the penalty area, but it's met by a Lazio head and cleared to safety.

28' WIDE FROM MEUNIER

Witsel frees Haaland on the left and the Norwegian drills an inviting low ball into the middle. It's too strong for Reus, but Meunier is arriving unmarked, 10 yards from goal, but skews his shot wide of the target. That was BVB's best opening so far.

23' LAZIO GRAB A SECOND

From the ensuing corner, curled in towards the front post from the left, Luis Felipe beats Hummels to the header and glances it into the net. Dortmund have it all to do now.

22' HUGE SAVE FROM HITZ!!

Hummels miscontrols an interception, allowing Correa to nip in and charge towards goal. He goes one-on-one with Hitz, who makes a brilliant save to keep the ball out.

19' DORTMUND NOT QUITE CLICKING

BVB are committing decent numbers forward, but they just can't find the killer pass right now against a very tightly packed Lazio defence.

16' IMMOBILE WANTS IT

Guerreiro loses possession in midfield and Lazio instantly go on the counter again, with Immobile peeling off his marker behind the defence. Hitz is alive to the danger though and is able to snuff out the danger.

14' HITZ DENIES IMMOBILE

Seemingly out of the blue, Immobile has another chance, peeling away from Hummels on the right and unleashing a vicious shot at goal from 18 yards that Hitz gratefully punches clear.

12' STRAKOSCHA SAVES FROM PISZCZEK

A first real glimpse of Dortmund's attacking might as Meunier frees Sancho down the right and the visitors win a corner. Sancho takes it, but Piszczek's firm header is well saved by the Lazio custodian.

9' LAZIO SITTING BACK

That was not in Dortmund's game plan, but will certainly have been what the hosts were looking for. Since going in front, they've been happy to sit back and invite Dortmund to break down their well-drilled backline.

6' GOAL! IMMOBILE OPENS THE SCORING

Meunier plays Bellingham into trouble on the right side at the back and Lazio suddenly come alive, playing two quick passes to find Immobile lurking in the middle, and he sweeps a delicate shot past Hitz and into the net.

5' PROMISING FROM LAZIO

A nice spell of pressure from the hosts, but Alberto's cross from the left doesn't find a teammate in the middle.

3' DORTMUND ON TOP

The visitors are keeping hold of the ball well, stroking it around patiently against their deep-lying hosts. Lazio aren't pressing until Dortmund set foot in their half.

1' KICK-OFF

Dortmund get the ball rolling in Rome!

IN-FORM VS. OFF COLOUR

While Dortmund have started the domestic season strongly, with nine points from four games so far to sit in third place in the Bundesliga standings, Lazio have been slow out of the blocks in the Serie A, taking just four points from their opening four games to lie down in 15th.

LAZIO STAGE FRIGHT?

The Italians return to the competition for the first time in five years tonight. Immobile, who played alongside Hummels at BVB during 2014/15, will be particularly keen to make an impression.

DORTMUND TEAM NEWS

With Akanji, Can, Schmelder, Schulz and Zagadou all unavailable, BVB boss Lucien Favre looks like he's fielding Delaney - normally a holding midfielder - on the left side of a three man defence.

Further up the field, 17-year-old summer signing Bellingham makes his Champions League debut, while in-form attacker Reyna is given a rest after starting every game this season. Captain Reus starts in his place behind Haaland.

WELCOME ALONG!

The Champions League is back! Almost exactly two months to the day since Bayern conquered Europe in the final in Portugal, the competition returns. Dortmund kick-off their Group F campaign with a tricky fixture away to Lazio. Stay tuned for live coverage.

CONFIRMED line-ups

Lazio: Strakosha - Patric, Luis Felipe (Hoedt 51'), Acerbi - Leiva - Lazzari, Milinkovic-Savic (Akpa-Akpro 67'), Cataldi, Alberto (Parolo 80'), Jony - Immobile (c) (Caicedo 81'), Correa (Muriqi 67')
Subs: Reina, Anderson, Armini, Escalante, Czyz, Alia
Out: Bastos (hamstring), Felipe (ankle), Lulic (ankle), Pereira (ill), Proto (arm)
Coach: Simone Inzaghi 

Dortmund: Hitz - Piszczek (Brandt 65'), Hummels, Delaney - Meunier, Bellingham (Reyna 46'), Witsel, Guerreiro - Sancho, Reus (c) (Reinier 78') - Haaland
Subs: Bürki, Unbehaun, Morey, Dahoud, Passlack, Knauff, Raschl
Out: Akanji (not included), Can (suspended), Hazard (muscular), Schmelzer (knee), Schulz (calf), Zagadou (knee)
Coach: Lucien Favre

Watch: Haaland and Reyna clicking on and off the field

Match stats

  • Haaland was the second highest scorer in the Champions League last season, his total of 10 bettered only by Bayern Munich counterpart Robert Lewandowski (15).
  • Immobile scored just three goals in 24 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund.
  • The teams have met three times previously. Dortmund won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Reus in the most recent of those, a friendly in August 2018. Before then, BVB won 2-1 on aggregate in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup quarter-finals.
  • Lazio haven’t enjoyed playing German opposition recently, losing to Eintracht Frankfurt twice in the 2018/19 Europa League group stage, and going down 3-1 on aggregate to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League play-offs in August 2015.
  • Can faced Lazio three times during his 18 months at Juventus, winning two and drawing one. He played alongside Lazio midfielder Lucas Leiva during their time together at Liverpool (2014-2017).
  • BVB finished second behind Barcelona in their section last season, collecting 10 points to finish ahead of Inter Milan and Slavia Prague.

Latest

Following his exploits for Norway during the October international break - including a hat-trick against Romania - Haaland came off the bench to provide the match-winning assist for Dortmund captain Marco Reus against Hoffenheim on Saturday. The 20-year-old has now laid on three goals and scored a team-leading five in his six appearances in all competitions for BVB this season. Julian Brandt makes way for the Dortmund No.9, while Gio Reyna has also dropped to the bench for Reus. Left-back Raphael Guerreiro and 17-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham - the Bundesliga's September Rookie of the Month - are also recalled after being used as second-half substitutes this past weekend. With Emre Can suspended and Manuel Akanji still unavailable, Lukasz Piszczek starts despite an eye injury against Hoffenheim, with Thomas Delaney filling in on the left of Lucien Favre's preferred three-man defence.

Immobile played under Favre's best-known predecessor, Jürgen Klopp, during his one-season stay in Dortmund. The Italian scored 10 goals in his 34 appearances, including four in the Champions League, before rediscovering his best form at Torino and then Lazio, via an underwhelming stint with Sevilla. Having been overshadowed by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park, Immobile has scored over 100 goals in sky blue, including a league-leading 36 in last season's Serie A. Italy's reigning Player of the Year also helped I Biancocelesti win the Italian Super Cup, but has struck just once in the early part of 2020/21. Sent off in the 1-1 draw with Inter Milan prior to the October internationals, he was sorely missed as Lazio lost 3-0 to Sampdoria on Saturday, with Bastos, Adam Marusic and Stefan Radu also absent. Lazio are now winless in three since beating Calgiari on the opening weekend, and are returning to the Champions League circuit for the first time since finishing bottom of their section way back in 2007/08. Zenit host Club Brugge in the group's other Matchday 1 encounter.