Paris Saint-Germain 0-1 Borussia Dortmund: Player ratings as Hummels turns off the light in Paris | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund eked out a 1-0 win to beat Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on aggregate in their Champions League semi-final tie this evening.

Niclas Fullkrug’s first-half strike settled an enthralling first leg at Signal Iduna Park, handing Dortmund a narrow lead ahead of the return fixture.

After a catalogue of missed opportunities in Germany, PSG had to find composure in the front third to increase their chances of booking their second Champions League final date.

Luis Enrique’s side came flying out of the traps, assuming control of possession but to no avail, as they couldn’t create anything noteworthy on the opposition’s half.

Dortmund had the first decent chance of the game when Julian Ryerson slammed his close-range half-volley into the side netting.

As PSG intensified the pressure towards the end of the first half, more space started to open for Edin Terzic’s team on the other side, with Karim Adeyemi wasting a glorious chance to double the visitors’ aggregate lead.

He was too fast for Marquinhos to break one-on-one with Gianluigi Donnarumma, but the Italian goalkeeper pulled off a crucial diving save to thwart the youngster’s close-range attempt.

Despite failing to take advantage of spaces behind the enemy lines, the Bundesliga outfit put on a sturdy defensive performance to keep PSG at arm’s length.

Enrique’s charges couldn’t muster a clear-cut opening before half-time, even though they boasted 61% possession.

However, Les Parisiens came inches away from breaking the deadlock only two minutes into the second half as Warren Zaire-Emery hit the post from a couple of yards out.

The punishment was swift. Julian Brandt whipped in a delightful cross from a set-piece, with Mats Hummels heading home from point-blank to send Dortmund 1-0 in front.

PSG took their time to recover from the shock, only for Goncalo Ramos to sky the ball from a promising position around the hour mark.

Moments after Ramos’ miss, Nuno Mendes tried his luck from distance, but his thunderous shot clipped the far post, even though he had Gregor Kobel beaten.

Kobel had to make a first proper save in the 80th minute to keep Kylian Mbappe’s effort from an awkward angle away at the near post.

But the Switzerland international almost threw PSG a lifeline minutes later, as his poor reaction served Mbappe on a platter. Luckily for him, the Frenchman hit the bar.

The woodwork came to Dortmund’s rescue again when Vithina’s rocket missile from the edge of the box nearly broke the frame.

PSG could’ve made things interesting in the dying embers with a bit of luck, but fate had other plans as Dortmund advanced into the Champions League final for the first time since 2013.

Player Ratings

Paris Saint-Germain (4-3-3)

Gianluigi Donnarumma (8/10) – His first-half stop failed to inspire PSG’s comeback, and he was powerless against Hummels’ point-blank header.

Achraf Hakimi (7/10) – The Moroccan made himself an omnipresent figure in the opposition’s territory, yet his final touch often let him down.

Marquinhos (8/10) – It was another spotless performance from the home captain.

Lucas Beraldo (5/10) – The talented had occasional lapses of concentration and wasn’t up to the challenge tonight, losing a vital aerial duel against Hummels.

Nuno Mendes (7/10) – It’s a shame his long-range shot rattled off the post. It would’ve been a reward he duly deserved for an energetic showing on the left flank.

Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10) – Enrique must have expected more from the prodigious midfielder, but the pressure got the better of the youngster, who barely had any influence on proceedings. That could’ve changed had he converted a golden chance at the start of the second half.

Vitinha (7/10) – Apart from several wayward attempts from distance, the ex-Porto star pieced together a decent performance, pulling all the strings in the middle of the park.

Fabian Ruiz (6/10) – Sometimes, it felt like he played in slow motion, taking too much time to pick out his teammates while being regularly outpaced by his markers when PSG had a chance to hurt Dortmund in transition.

Ousmane Dembele (6/10) – It’s hard to count the number of wasteful passes and attempted crosses he had this evening. He nearly drew a penalty midway through the second half, only for referee Daniele Orsato to award his side a free-kick.

Kylian Mbappe (5/10) – PSG’s difference-maker could make a difference tonight.

Goncalo Ramos (4/10) – Enrique should’ve subbed him off at the break following a near-anonymous first-half performance. His wasteful finishing came to the fore in the second half.

Substitutes

Marco Asensio (5/10)

Bradley Barcola (6/10)

Lee Kang-in (6/10)

Borussia Dortmund

Gregor Kobel (6/10) – Although the Swiss stopper didn’t have to make many spectacular saves to keep a clean sheet, he looked confident in set-piece situations until he almost gifted Mbappe an equaliser.

Ian Maatsen (7/10) – Guarding Dembele is never pleasant, but the Chelsea loanee stayed disciplined and limited the Frenchman’s attacking contribution, especially in the first 45 minutes.

Nico Schlotterbeck (7/10) – No-nonsense defending is perhaps the best term to describe the German’s approach tonight. Unwilling to take risks, his only intention was to clear the ball away to safety.

Mats Hummels (9/10) *MOTM* – The veteran centre-back made a vital block to deny Mbappe from close range in the first half. He rolled back the years to keep Dortmund’s backline tight and compact under siege. The goal was a fitting reward for his stellar showing.

Julian Ryerson (7/10) – The Norwegian right-back fared reasonably well against Mbappe and even found time and space to repeatedly join the attack as Dortmund sought their chances on the counter.

Emre Can (8/10) – His defensive skills provided immense value to the visitors’ cause as he made numerous vital clearances inside the box.

Marcel Sabitzer (7/10) – Like Can, the former Manchester United ace sacrificed his attacking aspirations to extend his defence a much-needed helping hand.

Karim Adeyemi (5/10) – You’d expect the lightning-quick forward to benefit from counter-attacking football, but he couldn’t beat Hakimi in one-on-ones. On top of that, he missed a sitter in the first half.

Julian Brandt (7/10) – After a lively first-leg performance, the German playmaker had a quiet night in Paris, failing to gain a foothold in the game. However, his lethargic display paled to his crucial assist.

Jadon Sancho (5/10) – The Englishman used his technical qualities to help Dortmund retain possession, but he didn’t complete any progressive run and was largely ineffective in the final third.

Niclas Fullkrug (4/10) – With Dortmund preoccupied with fending off PSG’s relentless attacks, the first-leg hero was a marginal figure, spending most of the game cut off from the rest of the pack.

Substitutes

Marco Reus (4/10)

Niklas Sule (6/10)

Felix Nmecha N/A