• Champions League

Sports Desk, May 8 (EFE).-

A thumping header from Mats Hummels was enough for Borussia Dortmund to secure their first Champions League final appearance in 11 years thanks to a 1-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of the semifinal in Paris on Tuesday.

Dortmund, who won the tie 2-0 on aggregate, will face either German rivals Bayern Munich or Spain’s Real Madrid in the final at Wembley Stadium on June 1 in what would be their third Champions League final ever.

Edin Terzic’s men showed strong resolve to thwart the Parisians, who hit the woodwork four times after two in the first leg to leave the entire tie without a goal, the third time they have done so in their stadium in Europe in the last 40 games.

The ineffectiveness in scoring ruined the efforts of coach Luis Enrique, who was left dejected following his side’s numerous unsuccessful attempts on target.

“Before anything else, the overriding feeling is sadness,” Enrique said after the match.

“We can’t say it any other way. We weren’t inferior over the two legs. Football is a curious game, sometimes unfair.

“We couldn’t score despite having 31 shots on goal. But you win games by scoring goals, not hitting the woodwork.”

The result was particularly frustrating for striker Kylian Mbappe, who possibly played his last European game in Paris as a PSG player.

Dortmund were rewarded for their orderly game and the military discipline that the players showed in front of their impressive fans, who painted a corner of the Parc des Princes in yellow and challenged the loud local fans with their chants.

Trailing after the first leg fixture, Paris knew they had no choice but to attack, which prompted Enrique to draft in Gonçalo Ramos to join Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele in the attack.

But Dortmund’s Terzic had another idea, more laborious and patient, which gradually soaked up the pressure.

Mbappe made a tame attempt early in the game, but as the minutes passed, the Germans’ rhythm began to prevail.

A counterattack by Karim Adeyemi in the 35th minute could have even allowed the Germans to take the lead in the first half.

But a good intervention by Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma saved PSG, who came to the field in the second half with all guns blazing to miss their target.

Zaire-Emery crashed the ball into the post early in the half, minutes before Hummels’ goal came through a header from a corner.

“It’s almost surreal. I think in the grand scheme of things, we deserved to reach the final,” said Terzic.

“We came here to confront a team that has so many qualities. It’s thanks to team work, granted a little bit of luck too. I’m very proud of my team, my staff, and the entire club.”

It took PSG a few minutes to recover from the blow, but soon they regained control and took the momentum on their side.

Ramos sent a ball over the crossbar and Nuno Mendes hit another ball against the post in the 61st minute with a long shot.

Fear did not overwhelm the Germans, who recovered their defensive position and, once again, dampened the French team’s attack.

Mbappe hit the post with another ball in the 86th minute, and two minutes later, it was Vitinha’s turn to taste the wood. EFE

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