Agency :
Borussia Dortmund’s Niclas Fuellkrug fired in a first-half goal to seal a 1-0 victory over visitors Paris St Germain (PSG) in a compelling Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday.
Nico Schlotterbeck floated a pass into Fuellkrug’s path and the Germany forward controlled the ball with a perfect first touch before drilling a low shot past keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 36th minute.
PSG, fresh from being crowned Ligue 1 champions and desperate to win their first ever Champions League trophy, found it hard going against a disciplined German defense, especially in the first half with forward Kylian Mbappe largely neutralized.
With the return leg in Paris next Tuesday, the winners of the tie will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, who drew 2-2 in their first leg in Germany, in the final at Wembley on June 1.
“It was a well-deserved win, a good team performance,” said Dortmund Coach Edin Terzic. “We could have scored more goals, but so could they.”
“That’s why the result is okay from my point of view. We ran a lot, but that’s necessary in a game like this.”
“You have to earn your way to Wembley. All we need now is a draw in the second leg, but we also want to win next week.”