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Niclas Fullkrug scored the winner in the first half as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris St-Germain 1-0 in a frantic Champions League semi-final first leg.
Germany used their right foot to skillfully cut out a long ball before scoring with their left foot to give Dortmund the lead in the 36th minute.
After a poor first half, PSG squandered several chances to equalise in the second, with Kylian Mbappe hitting the post before Achraf Hakimi hit the post moments later.
Fullkrug scored a moment after fair paints on the right flank from Manchester United loanee winger Jadon Sancho, but the striker can only get over the crossbar from five yards.
In their third game of the Champions League season, Dortmund beat the biggest Ligue 1 winners for their directness, aggressiveness and tenacity.
PSG controlled much of the first half but failed to get a shot on target as Dortmund created chances.
Marcel Sabitzer had a wonderful chance to double Dortmund’s lead just before the break, but his point-blank volley was superbly saved through Gianluigi Donnarumma.
PSG coach Luis Enrique came from behind at half-time and Mbappe’s first big moment of the game came in the 51st minute with the French captain hitting the post with a snippet mark from the left.
Moments later, the ball fell into the hands of former Dortmund right-back Hakimi and his effort, along with Mbappe’s, stuck in the post and he raced to safety.
Former Dortmund player Ousmane Dembélé created an excellent chance over the bar with 10 minutes remaining, while Fullkrug deserved a penalty after being elbowed in the back when it looked like he was about to head towards Julian Brandt’s cross.
The 1-0 score leaves this clash very balanced for Tuesday’s match at the Parc des Princes.
‘Scandalous’ and ‘rejuvenated’: Sancho has the ‘return of enchantment’
English foreigner Sancho is the most productive player on the pitch at Signal Iduna Park.
PSG left-back Nuno Mendes has struggled to deal with the Manchester United loanere’s quick feet and now has six days to deal with the 24-year-old striker from the second leg.
In a brilliant second-half moment, Sancho pretended to pass to the left before passing the ball over Mendes’ leg and then firing in a precise cross that Fullkrug headed over the crossbar.
Sancho has had many sceptics after a rocky spell at Old Trafford following his £73m move from Dortmund in 2021.
He left the United squad to face Arsenal in September 2023 and then took to social media to say he “felt like a scapegoat”.
A refusal to apologise to manager Erik ten Hag led to him being loaned out again in January to Dortmund, the position he carved out for himself, in a bid to regain his form.
As a result of this performance, this paid off and Sancho returned to his best level.
And United fans will wonder what could have happened.