This was supposed to be Kylian Mbappe’s scene. Instead, it was journeyman striker Niclas Fullkrug who proved the difference to give Borussia Dortmund a slight advantage in their semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
The 31-year-old is in the form of his life after spending most of his life in Germany’s second division and is now a regular goalscorer for the national team.
After Bayern Munich’s 2-2 draw against Real Madrid on Tuesday evening, the first leg was much closer, especially in the first half. That was until Dortmund turned straight to Fullkrug, who produced a brilliant first touch before firing low past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute.
PSG improved after the break, with Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi hitting the post within 10 seconds and Ousmane Dembele blazing in the final 10 minutes. Fullkrug should have added a second too but it was Dortmund who went to Paris with a vital goal.
Athleticism Peter Rutzler, Seb Stafford-Bloor, Thom Harris and Elias Burke analyze the action.
Functional Fullkrug flies in the Champions League
Just under two years ago, Niclas Fullkrug scored his 19th goal of the season to spark wild celebrations in Bremen. It sealed a crucial victory on the final day and propelled the 29-year-old to fourth place in the goalscoring charts in Germany’s second tier.
He has always been a competent striker across the divisions, a functional target man and a battering ram in charge of five different teams. But since Fullkrug turned 30, he has won a Bundesliga Golden Boot, made his international debut, scored 11 international goals – including two in the World Cup – and put his new team in command of a Champions League semi-final.
Fullkrug is old-fashioned, but undoubtedly effective. He can struggle to get into games at times – he only touched the ball nine times in a first half hour here – but his emphatic ability to smash the ball onto either foot can blow up matches. It was a crisp left-footed strike to open the scoring, but as his shot card below illustrates, he is a striker who can make the most of any situation in the penalty box.
He should have added a second after the break, but it was comforting to see a completely normal footballer take center stage.
Niclas Füllkrug’s goals in the Champions League this season:
⚽️vs Newcastle @ Signal Iduna Park
🅰️ against PSG @ Parc Signal Iduna
🅰️ vs PSV @ Signal Iduna Park
⚽️+🅰️ against Atletico Madrid at Signal Iduna Park
⚽️ against PSG at Signal Iduna ParkHome sweet home🏡
– Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) May 1, 2024
Thomas Harris
Why does PSG struggle with long balls?
In both legs of PSG’s quarter-final win over Barcelona, they struggled with the long ball. PSG are one of the most aggressive pressers in this year’s Champions League – no team has won the ball back faster (judging by opponent passes per defensive action) – but that may leave some room for space behind if their first pressure, from the forward line, is not clear or precise.
Xavi recognized this and used Robert Lewandowski as an outside ball. Marc-André ter Stegen, the Barcelona goalkeeper, made the majority of his passes towards the Polish striker, who in turn was able to bring his full-back players into play. PSG defender Lucas Beraldo had a particularly difficult match, losing five duels.
Dortmund clearly learned from these matches. Edin Terzic, the Dortmund coach, was able to use Fullkrug in a similar way. There were warning signs; Marcel Sabitzer made a curving run from the right to reach a long pass from Ian Maatsen, but the pass was misplaced.
Dortmund were not as precise as Barcelona in the early stages, often temperamental in their attempts to spot Fullkrug, who in turn was unable to contest the aerial duel against the PSG defense. But then Dortmund was right. Nico Schlotterbeck sold a dummy to Mbappe and used that extra second of space to loft a ball over the PSG backline.
It was an incredibly easy goal to concede but one that proves that PSG are vulnerable. They struggled with their first pressure, allowing Dortmund to play through Julian Ryerson or giving time to throw a direct pass with precision, which is exactly what happened with the first goal.
The back line faded and were caught off guard; they were not prepared to face a run in behind, expecting a pass to instead be played over the head of Fullkrug – normally his main strength. PSG may be a better presser, but simple mistakes continue to hurt that.
Peter Rützler
Has Sancho returned to his best?
Sancho’s performance was a reminder of how important the environment is for footballers. He has not shone in the Bundesliga since his return, but he seems much less inhibited in Germany. Far from the stuffy comments surrounding his Manchester United career, expression has returned to his game and the timing and intelligent decisions that once showcased his talent have returned.
They were important again. At his best, there is a mischievous side to Sancho’s attacking play, which sees him dart in and out of attack and influence the game with little touches and tricks across the width of the pitch.
In the first half, he touched the ball more than any other Dortmund player, which describes his appetite for the occasion and the difficulty for PSG to guard him.
He also completed seven dribbles in the first 45 minutes. More than any player in any Champions League match this season. More than he managed in any Manchester United game he played in.
But on a night when Dortmund needed their home crowd, the Westfalenstadion responded to their confidence and their little moments of brilliance. This was Sancho at his best. It was him performing again and after what seems like a very long time, it’s nice to be able to write this again.
Seb Stafford Bloor
What will be the cost of PSG’s failures?
When Mbappe confronted his full-back a few minutes into the second half, it looked like he would put PSG back on level terms from an acute angle.
As it happened, his curling right-footed effort towards Gregor Kobel’s left post didn’t curl enough and hit the post. Minutes later, Marquinhos curled in a cross that fell perfectly between Kobel and the Dortmund defensive line, with Marco Fabian ghosting. With six yards to go, it seemed certain he would head in from close range and put PSG level. Somehow he missed. And missed opportunities were the story of PSG’s second half.
Mbappe was involved again in the 70th minute, receiving the ball in the same top right corner of the Dortmund box that he had nearly scored 20 minutes earlier. This time he slipped past Dembele, whose tame effort was saved by Kobel. Ten minutes later he would have the chance to redeem himself after Achraf Hakimi spotted his run deep into the box and completed a pass across the box, but his right-footed shot went over the crossbar.
“Frankly, I can’t believe the French didn’t score,” said Ally McCoist, co-commentator for TNT Sports, the British channel broadcasting the Champions League.
Fortunately for Luis Enrique, Dortmund were unable to capitalize on several excellent scoring chances in the second half. Shooting practice will surely be on the agenda before next week’s second leg.
Elias Burke
Has hard-working Adeyemi silenced the critics?
Of all the factors expected to influence this match, Karim Adeyemi’s work off the ball was not one of them. Adeyemi has had a bad month. Since peaking with his goal against Bayern Munich in March, his form has plateaued. A silly red card against Borussia Mönchengladbach rightly sparked criticism and rumors about his attitude. His stock is not high.
But what a response it was. Adeyemi’s speed is usually an asset on offense. Tonight it was a virtue in defense, as he worked as hard as he probably ever has in the yellow Dortmund jersey to protect Ian Maatsen, their full-back, from the menacing Dembele-Hakimi on the right of PSG.
The 70 meters he ran in the first half to track down Hakimi and end a counter-attack was particularly emotional. He did the exact same thing in the second half and it was typical of Adeyemi’s night. It was also emblematic of a shrewd and tactical performance in which he gave absolutely everything to prevent Dortmund’s cracks from showing.
Praise must also be given to Terzic. Adeyemi was part of a game plan in this part of the pitch that worked very well.
Sébastien Stafford-Bloor
What did Terzic say?
“It was a well-deserved victory, a good team performance,” he told DAZN. “We could have scored more goals, but so did they. This is why the result is correct from my point of view.
“We ran a lot, but that’s necessary in a game like this. You have to earn your place at Wembley. All we need now is a draw in the second leg, but we also want to win next week. We have a small lead and a good opportunity. We are not afraid. We know the quality of Paris.
“Sancho was extraordinary but we saw him a lot in training. He translates it on the ground. It has quality, we know its quality. It wasn’t just him, and that was important for a good match.
What did Luis Enrique say?
“Everyone knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It’s the semi-final of the Champions League. The locker room is a bit down, especially after hitting the post twice. But our fans pushed us throughout the match. It must be recognized that it is an exceptional stadium, with supporters who know how to support their team.
“We lacked incision in the final third. We didn’t create much more than the opponent, we looked for transitions and counter-attacks. The mood was better in the second half. He is a very good opponent and we created good chances.
“Both teams created a lot of opportunities. But they scored, and we didn’t. The result reflects how close the match was. This is a new situation for both teams. In the last two rounds they played at home as their second match, while for us it was the other way around. We will now have the public by our side for the return match. We will have to be more efficient.”
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