Guirassy's top form means another Dortmund win

There’s no doubt that being a Borussia Dortmund fan is equally thrilling and stressful, because you can never be one hundred percent sure whether your team will win or lose, no matter the lead or deficit. When Athletic Bilbao reduced the score midway through the second half with a nearly accidental goal from Gorka Guruzeta, a twenty-minute panic swept through the stands at the Westfalenstadion. But the Millionaires didn’t suffer a repeat of what happened against Juventus in the first round, when they conceded twice in deep stoppage time. This time they managed to rise above the discomfort and with two more goals sealed an absolutely deserved victory – 4:1 (1:0). The hero for the home crowd was Serhou Guirassy, who first set up Chukwuemeka’s goal in the 50th minute and then became an involuntary scorer himself in the 82nd, after a shot from Marcel Sabitzer. That moment definitively broke the visitors’ resistance, leaving Julian Brandt to confirm Dortmund’s deserved celebration with a stoppage-time strike.

Dortmund fully deserved their halftime lead. Daniel Svensson rewarded a very focused and mature first 45 minutes from the team. BVB didn’t create a large number of chances, but they held a secure advantage. The goal in the 28th minute came when Adeyemi broke through on the right after a pass from Ryerson and played a sharp ball across to the far post, where Svensson arrived and tapped it in from five meters. It was his first goal in the Champions League. The Millionaires carried the same rhythm into the second half, eager to settle the outcome quickly. It took them only five minutes. After a slick move down the right involving Sabitzer, Guirassy set up Chukwuemeka on the left side of the box. The new Dortmund signing shifted the ball to his left foot and struck low into the near corner. It was also his debut Champions League goal. Yet, just when Dortmund was dominant and seemingly ready to confirm the points, they began to stumble and allowed the opponent to get back into the match.

Barca target Dortmund's African beast as Lewandowski successor

The visitors cut the deficit in the 61st minute, practically out of nowhere. Süle, trying to clear the ball in the box, twice hit Anton with his clearance, and the ball ended up at Guruzeta’s feet. He blasted it into the right corner — an absolute gift from Dortmund’s defense, triggering twenty minutes of panic on the pitch. But Niko Kovač’s side didn’t allow a repeat of Turin. Even though the visitors had a few dangerous attacks, Dortmund mounted a response and grabbed their third in the 82nd minute with Guirassy’s lucky strike. After a corner, Sabitzer picked up the ball in the box and fired, with Guirassy unintentionally but perfectly deflecting it into the net. Unai Simón had already committed in the opposite direction, and the ball trickled over the line.

Leverkusen, meanwhile, have reasons to regret two dropped points against PSV Eindhoven (1:1), as Alejandro Grimaldo squandered one big chance in each half. Far from impressive, Kasper Hjulmand’s side struggled for long stretches, while Peter Bosz’s team pressed hard in the second half. That pressure was rewarded with Ismael Saibari’s equalizer in the 72nd minute. It started with a through ball for Veerman, who found Till on the left side of the box. The Dutchman cut it back for Saibari, who struck beautifully with the inside of his right foot from eleven meters. His half-volley flew into the far corner, unstoppable for Flekken. The hosts, however, capitalized on their dominance early in the second half. It all began when Poku’s cross was intercepted — PSV seemed in control — but then Schouten played a risky pass to Obispo, who suddenly found himself under immense pressure in his own box. Kofana pounced, went one-on-one with Kovář, and finished low into the left corner. Still, that wasn’t the end, but the beginning of the drama, which ultimately ended with perhaps the fairest result — a share of the points.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 2

Tuesday

Atalanta - Club Brugge 2-1 (0-1)

/Samardzic 73 pen, Pasalic 87 - Tzolis 38/

Kairat - Real Madrid 0-5 (0-1)

/Mbappe 25 pen, 52, 74, Camavinga 83, Diaz 90+3/

Atletico Madrid - Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 (3-0)

/Raspadori 4, Le Normand 33, Griezmann 45+1, 68, Alvarez 82 pen - Burkardt 57/

Bodo/Glimt - Tottenham 2-2 (0-0)

/Hauge 53, 66 - Van de Ven 69, Richarlison 89/

Chelsea - Benfica 1-0 (1-0)

/Rios 18 og/

Galatasaray - Liverpool 1-0 (1-0)

/Osimhen 16 pen/

Inter - Slavia Prague 3-0 (2-0)

/Lautaro 30, 65, Dumfries 34/

Olympique Marseille - Ajax 4-0 (3-0)

/Paixao 6, 13, Greenwood 26, Aubameyang 53/

Pafos - Bayern 1-5 (1-4)

/Orsic 45 - Kane 15, 35, Guerreiro 21, Jackson 31, Olise 69/

Wednesday

Qarabag - Copenhagen 2-0 (1-0)

/Zoubir 28, Addai 83/

St.Gilloise - Newcastle 0-4 (0-2)

/Woltemade 17, Gordon 43(p), 64(p), Barnes 80/

Arsenal - Olympiakos 2-0 (1-0)

/Martinelli 12, Saka 90+2/

Barcelona - PSG 1-2 (1-1)

/Torres 19 - Mayulu 38, Ramos 90/

Dortmund - Ath.Bilbao 4-1 (1-0)

/Svensson 28,  Chukwuemeka 50, Guirassy 82, Brandt 90+1 - Guruzeta 61/

Leverkusen - PSV 1-1 (0-0)

/Kofane 65 - Saibari 72

Monaco - Man.City 2-2 (1-2)

/Teze 18, Dier 90(p) - Haaland 15, 44/

Napoli - Sporting 2-1 (1-0)

/Hojlund 36, 79 - Suarez 62(p)/

Villareal - Juventus 2-2 (1-0)

/Mikautadze 18, Veiga 90 - Gatti 49, Conceicao 56/