Niclas Fullkrug scored a brilliant first half winner as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris St-Germain 1-0 in a somewhat lackluster first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The German International used his right foot to expertly bring down a long ball before hammering home with his left foot to give Dortmund a 36th-minute lead.
After a poor first half, PSG missed several chances to equalise in the second, with Kylian Mbappe curling an effort off the inside of the post before Achraf Hakimi struck the woodwork moments later.
Fullkrug should have scored a second after great work down the right flank from on-loan Manchester United winger, Jadon Sancho, but the striker could only blaze over the bar from five yards out.
After a poor first half, PSG manager, Luis Enrique, rallied his side at the break as Mbappe’s first major moment in the game came in the 51st minute with the France captain hitting the post with a trademark cut in from the left.
After his missed, it was followed by many former black and yellow boys missing their chances as moments later, the ball fell to former Dortmund right-back, Hakimi, and his effort, just like Mbappe’s, stuck the inside of the opposite post and ran to safety.
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Ousmane Dembele, another ex-Dortmund player, blazed a glorious chance over the bar with 10 minutes left while Fullkrug though he deserved a penalty after being nudged in the back when he appeared set to head in Julian Brandt’s cross.
It will overall be a night the Parisen’s will like to forget and will hope to rectify in Paris next week.
Germany, Italy to Have the Fifth UCL Spot
The Premier League has missed out on a fifth Champions League spot next season.
This was determined when Borussia Dortmund’s defeated PSG last night – thanks to a Niclas Fullkurg goal. Coupled with Bayern Munich’s draw with Real Madrid earlier in the week, it took the German total in the European Performance Spots table to 18.356.
For context, even if Aston Villa were to win both legs of their Europa Conference League semi-final with Olympiakos and go on to lift the trophy, England could only reach 18.25.
Germany will now join Italy in getting a fifth automatic spot in next season’s tournament.
Both countries could have six representatives, if Dortmund or Bayern win the Champions League and finish outside the top four in the Bundesliga and either Atalanta or Roma win the Europa League.
The winners of both tournaments qualified automatically for the following season’s Champions League.
The additional places were however added, no matter how many clubs entered the tournament by the usual method.
Ironically, even if they do not win the tournament, Dortmund will certainly be the beneficiaries as they are almost certain to finish fifth in the Bundesliga.
