Donyell Malen gave Borussia Dortmund a victory in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. The Bundesliga superpower won 1-0 against Sporting Portugal in front of its own audience and therefore leads Group C together with Ajax, although the goal difference of the team from Amsterdam is better. Group mates Sporting and Besiktas have still got zero points.
Dortmund had to make do without the injured Erling Braut Haaland, so that Donyell Malen formed the vanguard together with Thorgan Hazard. Sporting could again have captain Sebastian Coates, who was still suspended against Ajax. Dortmund had to make a substitution early on in the game: Mahmoud Dahoud was injured after seven minutes and was replaced by Julian Brandt.
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His first goal for Borussia Dortmund, and an important one! Dortmund 1, Sporting 0 ??#ZiggoSport #UCL #PSGMCI pic.twitter.com/AG51yAIlmF
— Ziggo Sport Football (@ZS_Voetbal) September 28, 2021
Ad.nlEight minutes before the break, Malen broke the spell for the home team. The attacker received the ball from Jude Bellingham, entered the penalty area and hit the target with a low, diagonal shot into the left corner. It was his first goal for his new club. Sporting looked comfortable with the ball at times, but was unable to test goalkeeper Gregor Kobel seriously. A few minutes after the break, a goal by Marco Reus was disallowed for offside.
The crowd rallied behind Dortmund in hopes of inspiring the team to lock up the game. Because of the minimal difference, Sporting hoped for a result, but the threat of the visitors was missing in the front. Fifteen minutes before the end, Malen was taken to the side. There were no more serious chances for the visitors, who therefore remain at zero points in the group stage. Ajax and Dortmund make a big hole.