Borussia Dortmund eliminates Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-final. to book first at Wembley ahead of the final.

Borussia Dortmund eliminates Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-final. to book first at Wembley ahead of the final. PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN 0-1 BORUSSIA DORTMUND (0-2 on agg): The German team’s decisive victory and return to the championship game for the first time in more than ten years came via a header by Mats Hummels early in the second half.

Mats Hummels, a seasoned defender for PSG, dashed Kylian Mbappe’s hopes of winning the Champions League. 

With solid defense and an outstanding away performance that saw PSG strike the woodwork SIX times throughout two games, Dortmund advanced to the Wembley final. The French superstar will join Real Madrid this summer after failing to deliver PSG’s ownership to Qatar by winning the European Championship. 

Hummels receives another opportunity at victory. In 2013, he was the sole member of the Dortmund team that survived as the losing finalist. Without Mbappe, PSG will have to rebuild with maybe fewer stars and a stronger squad in the future.

Mats Hummels rolled back the years to produce arguably his best performance since his starring role in Germany’s 2014 World Cup win, defending for his life and popping up with the crucial goal early into the second half when he was left unmarked at a corner.

Following a goal by Niclas Fullkrug, the Germans took the lead to the Parc des Princes. And they skillfully maintained their lead despite PSG’s 29 shots on goal, only five of which were on target. Edin Terzic’s team neutralized PSG’s wing play by keeping their midfielders and back-four compact.  

Then, with Hummels doubling their lead early in the second half, they took on PSG. Mbappe failed to light up the game. With a dribble that took out four defenders before shifting the ball to the right of the box, where Ousmane Dembele blasted over, he created the first serious worry in the German ranks. 

After that, Mbappe missed an eight-yard attempt, and Gianluigi Donnarumma had to make a quick stop to stop Karim Adeyemi from shooting after he sprinted 60 yards with the ball. Even before the game began, the atmosphere was boisterous, and the home crowd managed to light a Dortmund banner with a flare to get the crowd going. After the half, they lit a red wall of flares. 

Goncalo Ramos’s touch flipped to the back post, and Warren Zaire Emery was there to strike the post, but PSG missed an open goal after the break. Dortmund responded favorably, scoring a goal that extended their advantage after a three-pass play freed Adeyemi to win a corner from Marquinhos.  

The 35-year-old Hummels sprang at the back post and beat Luca Beraldo with a close-range header. Although he has four this season out of more than 500 games played for the team, few have been more significant than this one. 

The PSG reaction was subpar. Dortmund gained self-assurance and swaggered their way to control the ball. Ramos stole Vitinha’s opportunities, taking a spoonful off his cross. 

Nuno Mendez struck the inside of the post with a low shot from outside the area. Mbappe scuffed a shot in the final seconds, and goalie Gregor Kobel deflected it onto the bar. Vitinha then pounded on the bar. 

Despite the statistics, the seeming misfortune, and the outstanding Dortmund defense, PSG must accept some of the responsibility. As they did in Germany last week, they got off to a sluggish start and were behind from the first leg. 

Considering their European past, Luis Enrique should have taken the initiative to get them off to a fast start tonight. Perhaps it was, and perhaps everyone associated with PSG is simply too burdened by the team’s failures since 2011 and the expectations that accompany them. 

The loss means that the Kylian Mbappé period in Paris will never have a perfect conclusion, and it raises even more doubts for their Qatari owners after billions of euros were spent on just one final in 13 years—during the epidemic.  

Hummels, the goal hero, stated: “We’ve thought we can win every game, so I don’t see why we shouldn’t win at Wembley right now.

“We didn’t stop working today and removed a significant amount of the game’s tempo and stadium excitement. That was the formula for our achievement“. 

Edin Terzic declared, “I am honored.” It’s remarkable that we won both games and retained spotless records. Overall, the team’s performance was excellent. Although we had a great opportunity, they were the superior team in the first half. We went all out for a clean sheet in the second half, which was intense. 

“On the final matchday of the previous season, we lost the championship at home.” We can now reward the fans, which makes me delighted. We’ve improved with each game and realize we might be the squad that ultimately surprises everyone.  

According to Luis Enrique, “it was a stiff, tight match. We were worthy winners. Six times, we crafted shots and hit the post. Sometimes, football is unfair“. 

“We suffered a lot,” Marco Reus, a Dortmund player. Tomorrow, nobody will question how we won the game. Nobody anticipated this. It’s simply amazing.

Credit: Mirror