Borussia Dortmund succumb to Paris Saint-Germain with Mbappé and Hakimi on target in Champions League opener
Borussia Dortmund suffered defeat in their UEFA Champions League Group F opener against a PSG side that had Kylian Mbappé and former BVB man Achraf Hakimi on the scoresheet.
Dortmund had been failing to fire on all cylinders at the start of the Bundesliga season, but a 4-2 win against Freiburg at the weekend raised morale before the Black-and-Yellows' trip to face the 2020 Champions League runners-up. Mats Hummels was on target twice in the aforementioned win and the veteran defender went close in the French capital with a header from Julian Brandt's corner that flashed over. After Marcel Sabitzer limped out of the contest with an injury, Donyell Malen tested Gianluigi Donnarumma with a shot the keeper was equal to. Enduring their own domestic woes of late, Luis Enrique's side looked to respond in this Group F opener and they struck the woodwork following a wonderful Vitinha effort from the edge of the area. Randal Kolo Muani - the ex-Eintracht Frankfurt forward a familiar face to Bundesliga fans - subsequently brought a stop from BVB's Gregor Kobel as the hosts continued to probe for an opening goal.
Having put in a solid shift in the opening 45 minutes, BVB emerged after the break with the aim of being just as difficult to break down in the second half. Unfortunately for the visitors, when Niklas Süle handled in the area soon after the restart, Mbappé was on hand to send the penalty kick past Kobel. Indeed, there was to be no respite for the away side, who were soon two goals behind after Hakimi - who made 73 appearances while on loan at BVB between 2018 and 2020 - finished in style after combining with Vitinha. Die Schwarzgelben looked to respond and they came agonisingly close to pulling a goal back when substitute Jamie Bynoe-Gittens struck the outside of the post. That was the best it would get for the Bundesliga side, however, and they must now regroup for their next game in the section at home to AC Milan on 4 October.
Match stats
The 30-year-old Niclas Füllkrug made his Champions League debut in this game.
Felix Nmecha also made his tournament debut.
Hakimi scored seven goals and provided 14 assists in 54 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund across 2018/19 and 2019/20.
Marco Reus is playing his 10th season of Champions League football. He is Dortmund's record scorer in the competition, with 22 goals.
BVB only lost one of six group games last season - a late 2-1 defeat to eventual winners Manchester City.
Dortmund have now faced French opposition 15 times in the Champions League to date, winning eight and losing seven.
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Champions League Group F, Matchday 1 Group F, Matchday 1 Parc des Princes, Paris
90'
+ 7
Full time! PSG 2-0 BVB
Dortmund played well at times, but didn't create enough clear-cut openings against one of the competition favourites. Milan and Newcastle - who drew 0-0 earlier today - are up next in Group F for the Black-Yellows.
Full-time
90'
+ 6
Offside!
Ramos has the ball in the net, but it's ruled out for offside. That should be it in Paris...
90'
+ 3
Close!
Pereira finds Mbappé, who races past Hummels to go one-on-one with Kobel. He lifts the ball over the BVB keeper, but his effort goes wide of the far post.
90'
Time added on!
Adeyemi runs at the defence and shoots over from 20 yards as the fourth official's electronic board indicates SIX additional minutes...
The BVB sub meets Adeyemi's corner, but can't land his header on target and the chance of a debut Champions League goal is gone. Will he get another?
85'
Half chance
Dembélé works an opening for Ramos, but he's leaning back and can't kee his 15-yard shot down. Expect more chances to fall the way of the hosts as BVB press for a late comeback...
82'
Access denied!
Marquinhos gets in the way of quick-fire efforts from Füllkrug and Hummels. There's a VAR check for handball, but it's not given. Dortmund are really having a go at PSG now!
So close to a Dortmund goal as Bynoe-Gittens plays a one-two with Reus, before arrowing a shot against the upright. That's exactly the injection of pace and magic Terzic wanted to see.
77'
Wolf knock
Dortmund's fifth and final change is an enforced one as Bensebaini replaces the injured Wolf.
Reus sums up Dortmund's frustrations with a long-range shot that hits teammate Nmecha.
62'
Double change
Malen sends a shot over the bar in his final involvement. Füllkrug's on for his Champions League debut in the Dutchman's stead. Reus also enters the fray at the expense of Brandt. Age, experience and a change of system - will it have the desired effect?
Ryerson can't find the target with a shot from distance. It's feeling like BVB could use a plan B. A number of players have been sent to warm up...
49'
Advantage PSG
The PSG forward finds the bottom corner, tucking the ball just out of Kobel's reach. BVB will have to come from behind, as they did at the weekend, to get a positive result...
Süle handles a Dembélé cross, or does he? VAR says so. Mbappé to take the spot-kick...
46'
Second half under way!
No changes for either side. How long before Terzic shuffles his pack?
Kick-off!
Half-time! PSG 0-0 BVB
Dortmund have acquitted themselves well in the French capital, with Malen spurning their best opening, but PSG took charge in the latter stages of an intriguing first half. Will Terzic turn to Füllkrug at some stage in the second 45?
Adeyemi's pace stretches the PSG defence. He lays the ball off to Can, who sends his shot wide from 18 yards, when Wolf was perhaps the better option to his right.
18'
Woodwork saves Dortmund!
Kobel's beaten as Vitinha fires an effort against the inside of the upright from outside the area. Dortmund are living dangerously...
16'
Kolo Muani!
There's the threat Bundesliga audiences know all too well. Dembele is the architect on the break, but his cross has just too much on it for Kolo Muani to make the desired contact. Let-off for BVB!
14'
Malen!
Malen has his first sight of the PSG goal, but fires his shot from inside the penalty area straight at the keeper.
Sabitzer stays down after colliding with Hakimi. It doesn't look good for the Austrian midfielder. Nmecha's been sent to warm up...
8'
Hummels!
Mats Hummels scored twice at the weekend, and the veteran defender's not far off the opener here as he directs a Brandt corner over the crossbar.
4'
Body on the line
Schlotterbeck's involved in his customary defensive capacity this time, getting himself in the way of a long-range effort from Hakimi.
2'
Attacking intent
Bright start as Dortmund win a corner. Brandt takes, but Schlotterbeck's penalised for a foul on Hernandez.
1'
We're off!
After a minute's silence in respect of the victims of the natural disasters in Morocco and Libya, the ball is rolling in Paris.
1:38
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Elsewhere
The other Group F fixture between AC Milan and Newcastle United ended goalless. Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig, meanwhile, won 3-1 away to Switzerland's Young Boys. Over to you, BVB...
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More on those teams
Terzic changes tack following the 4-2 win in Freiburg, the Dortmund boss switching to a back three. Niklas Süle comes in for Ramy Bensebaini, while Marius Wolf lines up on the left-hand side of a five-man midfield behind forwards Donyell Malen and Karim Adeyemi. Central striker Sebastien Haller joins Niclas Füllkrug on the bench. As for PSG, there are starts for ex-BVB pair Achraf Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele, as well as former Bundesliga stars Lucas Hernandez (Bayern) and Randal Kolo Muani (Frankfurt).
Dortmund starting line-up
Kobel - Süle, Hummels, Schlotterbeck - Ryerson, Sabitzer, Can (c), Brandt, Wolf - Malen, Adeyemi
The USMNT attacker is back in the Dortmund fold having fully recovered from a foot injury that has kept him sidelined this season. An unlikely starter for his team's Group F opener perhaps, but Reyna could get his first minutes of the campaign from the bench at the Parc des Princes.
"It will be my first experience in the Champions League this season and I could not have imagined a better introduction. I will get to play in three top away stadiums and to enjoy three huge home matches. We'll have to get the details right [against PSG]. I think we have a good team though that always work very well in these kind of matches. I am totally confident about going into this match with this team. It will be a match in Paris that we have to be at 100% for, however."
"I think PSG would have expected more from their first five matches of the season. They aren't where they belong and want to be in fifth place. The Champions League is a very different kettle of fish, for the players, for the city and the expectations prevailing there. We know what kind of challenge to expect. We'll go there confidently and looking to get a result though."
These sides have faced off just four times previously. Each side has one win apiece, with the other two encounters ending as draws.
1:06
Morale boost
Dortmund picked up an important three points against Freiburg in the Bundesliga at the weekend and with the win will also have come a timely confidence boost ahead of the team's voyage to Paris.
Les away days
Die Schwarzgelben have won three and drawn two of their 11 previous trips to face French sides.
Last time out
Dortmund won the first leg of a Round of 16 tie by 2-1 against PSG back in 2019/20, Erling Haaland netting a double. Paris eventually overturned the deficit in the return encounter to go through to the quarter-finals, however.
This was the section that drew most gasps from the watching audience when the group-stage draw was made. With AC Milan and Newcastle also competing in Group F, a solid start would be warmly welcome among BVB fans.
12:00
Black-and-Yellow lowdown
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