Borussia Dortmund survived a demanding night in Baku to beat Sabah and collect a second win of the Champions League’s opening phase, but the German side had to withstand a spirited Azerbaijani response after initially appearing capable of running away with the contest.
Key takeaways
- Dortmund made five changes after their previous European trip to Bodo, with Niko Kovac seeking a sharper start in Baku.
- Serhou Guirassy scored Dortmund’s early opener and then restored the lead after Sabah had levelled before half-time.
- Sabah’s McCarthy headed in from a free-kick in the 39th minute to reward a bold first-half fightback.
- Guirassy has now struck four times in this Champions League campaign, having scored 13 goals in the competition two seasons ago.
- Substitute M’Bina missed Sabah’s best late chance, while Dortmund held on despite Fábio Silva’s failure to add a decisive third.
Dortmund’s early charge meets a Baku resistance
Dortmund arrived in Azerbaijan determined not to let another unusual European away day become complicated. Kovac’s five alterations had the desired immediate effect, as the visitors pressed forward from the opening whistle.
Fábio Silva should have put Dortmund ahead inside five minutes, only for Sabah goalkeeper Pokatilov to deny him. The Portuguese forward was stopped again a minute later, and Pokatilov then repelled Felix Nmecha’s effort in the 10th minute. His save fell invitingly for Guirassy, however, and the Guinean forward converted after having already sent two earlier attempts over.
The visitors continued to create. Joey Veerman forced another strong intervention from Pokatilov with a powerful free-kick from the edge of the area, but Sabah gradually found their footing and began to push Dortmund backwards.
Parris, who had been central to Sabah’s first victory, produced a fine individual run before setting up Mickels to beat Gregor Kobel in the 29th minute. The celebration was cut short by an offside decision, yet the home side did not lose conviction.
The equaliser arrived six minutes before the interval. McCarthy rose to meet a wide free-kick and headed past Kobel, giving Sabah a deserved route back into the match. Dortmund were unsettled in the closing minutes of the half, with Kobel called upon again as the hosts tried to turn their momentum into a lead.
Guirassy delivers, but Sabah threaten until the end
Dortmund regained control shortly after the restart through their most reliable European scorer. Guirassy struck a left-footed volley to put the visitors back in front, his fourth goal of this season’s tournament. The forward’s record underlines his affinity with the competition: two seasons ago, he finished with 13 Champions League goals.
The tempo dropped after Dortmund’s second goal, although Guirassy repeatedly looked capable of completing a hat-trick. Sabah still had a clear route to another equaliser in the final 15 minutes when M’Bina, introduced from the bench, broke through one-on-one. Pressured closely by Svensson, he sent his effort wide.
At the other end, Fábio Silva endured a frustrating evening in front of goal and could not provide the finish that would have settled Dortmund’s nerves. That left the visitors defending their narrow advantage through the final stages, but they saw out the contest to leave Baku with three points and a second Champions League win in the opening phase.
