Serhou Guirassy turned a nervy evening at Signal Iduna Park into a winning one, netting twice in the last 10 minutes to hand Borussia Dortmund a 3-2 victory over Villarreal in their UEFA Champions League league phase opener. The game had been goalless at half-time before a Renato Veiga own goal and a sharp Villarreal response briefly threatened to leave Niko Kovac’s side empty-handed. It took a 80th-minute tap-in and an 85th-minute penalty from Guirassy, according to bundesliga.com, to seal the three points, though a Guirassy own goal at 90 minutes gave the scoreline a flattering gloss for the visitors.
Key Moments
- 27′, Karetsas was substituted off after what bundesliga.com reported as circulatory problems, with the youngster subsequently taken to hospital. Ethan Nwaneri came on in his place.
- 53′, Dortmund broke the deadlock through an own goal by Renato Veiga, the Villarreal defender putting the ball into his own net to hand the hosts the lead.
- 66′, Mouriño levelled for Villarreal, finishing from a Georges Mikautadze assist to make it 1-1 and set up a tense final quarter.
- 80′, Guirassy restored Dortmund’s lead, finishing a move capped by a Fabio Silva assist to put the home side 2-1 up with 10 minutes to play.
- 85′, Guirassy made it 3-1 from the penalty spot, completing his brace and effectively sealing the win for Dortmund.
- 90′, Guirassy put the ball into his own net to give Villarreal a 3-2 scoreline, though it came too late to change the outcome.
Tactical Breakdown
Dortmund carried 52% possession and mustered 18 shots, with 12 inside the box, suggesting they controlled the territory for long stretches. Kovac’s 3-4-2-1 shape gave them compactness in midfield and allowed Veerman and Sabitzer to dictate tempo for the first hour. Kobel was tested enough to make five saves, which points to a game that was never fully under control despite the home side’s territorial edge.
The turning point came in the 75th minute when Kovac replaced Sabitzer and Nmecha simultaneously, introducing Jobe Bellingham and Fabio Silva. Silva immediately impacted the game, providing the assist for Guirassy’s opener five minutes later. The double substitution shifted Dortmund’s attacking lines and gave them the directness they had lacked, with Villarreal’s defensive shape suddenly harder pressed.
Villarreal, operating in a 4-2-3-1, created enough to worry Dortmund across the 90 minutes, landing six shots on target. But the loss of Sergi Cardona to a yellow card before half-time and his substitution at the interval disrupted their left flank, and they were too passive in the final 20 minutes once Guirassy had made it 2-1. Three yellow cards across the game further underlined a discipline problem that ultimately cost them.
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Verdict
Dortmund take three points from their opening UEFA Champions League game, a solid start even if the manner of the win, reliant on late intervention from their striker, will give Kovac things to address. For Villarreal, a spirited showing that produced 13 shots and kept the game alive until the final whistle offers some encouragement, but they leave with nothing after a lapse in concentration in the closing minutes proved costly. The evening was also overshadowed by concern for Karetsas, who was taken to hospital after circulatory problems, according to bundesliga.com.
Borussia Dortmund
Villarreal
S. Guirassy