Bundesliga
Gittens brace gives BVB Champions League lift off
Facing frustration in their UEFA Champions League opener in Belgium, Borussia Dortmund turned to super sub Jamie Gittens to get them over the line with another double to add to his season's tally.
Club Brugge 0-3 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Gittens 76' (assist: Can), 0-2 Gittens 86', 0-3 Guirassy (pen.) 90'+5
Dortmund's journey to last season's UEFA Champions League final began with a loss away to Paris Saint-Germain and the Black-and-Yellows were on the road again as they began a fresh crack at European club football's elite tournament. The Bundesliga side looked determined to start with a splash in Belgium when Karim Adeyemi - BVB's two-goal hero in last weekend's win against Heidenheim - tested experienced Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet with a rasping shot the custodian was forced to push away. The Belgian champions responded and were inches away from taking the lead after Hugo Vetlesen hooked a close-range shot against the underside of the crossbar after Gregor Kobel had saved Raphael Onyedika's effort. The visitors had the youngest coach in this season's Champions League in Nuri Şahin and the 36-year-old had his head in his hands when Adeyemi's strike from a tight angle was blocked by the assured Mignolet. At the other end, Kobel was proving just as efficient, expertly denying Andreas Skov Olsen.
The action spilled over into the second half at the Jan Breydel Stadium, yet efforts from Marcel Sabitzer, Hans Vanaken and Vetlesen resembled more probing jabs when what both sides sought was a knock-down punch. Şahin threw a couple of his big hitters in Gittens and Felix Nmecha into the fight. With a little under a quarter of an hour to go, Dortmund had their opponents on the canvas with Gittens taking advantage of some patient Emre Can build-up before sending a shot at goal that took a couple of deflections before nestling into the top corner. The 20-year-old's second career Champions League goal followed a Bundesliga Matchday 1 double against Eintracht Frankfurt, also off the bench. He repeated that feat before the end here, cutting in from the left before firing into the corner. Serhou Guirassy's first goal for Dortmund arrived from the penalty spot in injury time to give last season's Champions League finalists the perfect start to this season's competition.
Match stats
- Gittens now has three UEFA Champions League goals. He scored against AC Milan in last season's group stage.
- At 36, Şahin is the youngest head coach in this season's Champions League, and greenest since a 35-year-old Matthias Sammer's Dortmund played in the 2002/03 edition.
- As a player, Şahin made 24 Champions League appearances (20 for Dortmund, four for Real Madrid).
- Julian Brandt is eighth on the all-time list for most Champions League outings in Dortmund colours. This was his 40th in the tournament. Fan favourite Marco Reus - now of LA Galaxy - leads the way on 72.
- Dortmund kept their fifth clean sheet against Brugge and have now won all encounters against the Belgian side. They become the first club in the history of the competition has ever played five games against one team without conceding.
- Winners in 1996/97, when the final was also in Munich, Dortmund are also two-time runners-up (2012/13 & 2023/24). They have gone beyond the first phase in eight of the last 10 seasons.
Teams
Brugge: Mignolet - Seys (Sabbe 71'), Ordóñez, Mechele, De Cuyper - Vetlesen (Vermant 85'), Onyedika - Skov Olsen, Vanaken (c), Tzolis (Talbi 85') - Nilsson (Jutglá 65')
unused subs: Jackers, Romero, Nielsen, Jashari, Skóraś
Out: Meijer (knee)
Coach: Nicky Hayen
Dortmund: Kobel - Ryerson, Süle, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini (Anton 59')- Can (c), Groß (Nmecha 68') - Sabitzer (Gittens 68'), Brandt, Malen (Guirassy 59') - Adeyemi (Couto 87')
Unused subs: Meyer, Lotka, Beier, Duranville, Kabar, Azhil
Out: Reyna (groin)
Coach: Nuri Şahin
0 - 3(0 - 0)
Brugge
FINAL
Dortmund
90' +6
vs
Guirassy seals it
The summer signing scores his first goal for Dortmund, scooping the ball straight down the middle after Mignolet dived off to his left early.
90' +3
vs
Penalty to Dortmund!
Guirassy is felled as he runs into the box and it's a spot-kick for BVB.
87'
vs
Yan Couto
Karim Adeyemi
87'
vs
What a goal!
It's a similar goal to Dortmund's first as Gittens collects the ball on the left-hand side of the Brugge penalty area again. He executes a couple of step-overs as he cuts back onto his right foot before drilling a low shot inside the far post. A brilliant finish!
80'
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Brandt nearly makes it 2-0!
Adeyemi races forward before slipping the ball to Brandt, off to his right. He cuts on to his left foot and shoots from the edge of the box but it's deflected wide.
77'
vs
Breakthrough!
Can slides the ball to his left to Gittens, on the left-hand side of the Brugge box. He jinks inside onto his right foot and shoots. The English youngster's effort takes a deflection and loops up over Mignolet and into the far corner!
72'
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Penalty appeal
The ball bounces off the turf and onto Süle's hand inside the BVB area. The home players - and crowd - appeal for a penalty but the referee waves play on. Süle's arm was in a natural position and not extending his body's surface area.
69'
vs
More changes for BVB
This match is still finely poised and could go wither way. Şahin makes another effort to try and swing momentum Dortmund's way by making attacking changes, with Gittens and Nmecha now on for Groß and Sabitzer.
68'
vs
Felix Nmecha
Pascal Groß
68'
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Jamie Gittens
Marcel Sabitzer
65'
vs
Ferran Jutglá
Gustaf Nilsson
63'
vs
Anton intervenes
Tzolis receives the ball in a central position and immediately charges forward. He tries to take on Anton, but the Dortmund centre-back is having none of it and clears the ball away with a minimum of fuss.
258s
vs
Watch: The best of Guirassy
And here comes Guirassy. Take a look at what the former Stuttgart forward is capable of...
59'
vs
Serhou Guirassy
Donyell Malen
59'
vs
Waldemar Anton
Ramy Bensebaini
56'
vs
Malen off target!
The Dutchman sprints into space, creates a pocket to shoot and drags his effort just wide of the far post from 16 yards.
54'
vs
Just wide from Sabitzer!
Adeyemi wins a free-kick in a promising position, a couple of yards outside the Brugge box, left of centre. Sabitzer takes it, curling a low shot around the wall but also just wide of the far post.
52'
vs
Sabitzer from way out!
Mignolet comes way off his line to make a clearance but gifts the ball to Sabitzer, who's inside the centre circle. He attempts a first-time volley with the goalkeeper in no-man's land, but gets it all wrong and the ball sails high and wide.
50'
vs
Bensebaini vital
Vetlesen causes mischief again as he ghosts behind the BVB defence, but Bensebaini scampers back to mop up.
48'
vs
Over from Tzolis
Tzolis rises highest to meet a cross from the right but he can't keep his header down and it sails over.
46'
vs
Under way again
The home side get the ball rolling in the second half.
0 - 0
Kick-off!
0 - 0
Half-time
44'
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Brilliant from Adeyemi!
The Dortmund attacker gets past Ordoñez with ease down Dortmund's left and crosses low into the middle. Malen just needs to give it a touch to go in but De Cuyper steps across to hoof it clear.
40'
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Wobbling
Brugge have got back into the game and are exerting some serious pressure as the half-time whistle approaches. Dortmund have looked a tad shaky at the back but somehow still manage to keep their hosts at bay.
37'
vs
Kobel!
Skov Olsen scurries into the Dortmund box down the right and skips past Groß before getting a shot away. Kobel produces a superb reaction save at his near post to push the ball out for a corner.
33'
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Süle the rock
Tzolis tries to take on Süle inside the Dortmund box, cutting inside from the left. The attacker bumps into the big defender and goes to ground, appealing for a penalty, but the referee remains unmoved and signals for play to continue.
30'
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Schlotterbeck involved
Dortmund have now pushed high into the Brugge half but are finding it difficult to break the hosts down. With Brandt, Malen and Adeyemi all darting around to try and find space, Schlotterbeck is seeing a lot of the ball. The centre-back is known for his excellent vision and pinpoint passing, but even he hasn't had any joy as yet.
27'
vs
Probing
Brugge have been on top for the last few minutes so Dortmund do well to take the sting out of the game and stroke the ball around among themselves.
24'
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Skov Olsen has a go
The home side get forward well, passing their way around Dortmund's press, and all of a sudden Skov Olsen has space to attack. He shoots from 20 yards out but his left-footed drive is straight at Kobel, who makes a routine save.
19'
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A goal is in the air
Brugge attack well again and pull Dortmund's defence out of shape. A couple of long-range shots are blocked before BVB concede a corner, making it feel like a goal is coming sooner rather than later.
16'
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Süle the playmaker
Süle fizzes a stunning ball through a crowd and into the box for Malen, whose first touch is superb. He shoots on the spin but is thwarted by Mignolet sticking out a leg.
12'
vs
Off the bar!
Chaos in the Dortmund box as they struggle to clear their lines from a corner. The ball falls to Onyedika, whose rasping shot is well saved by Kobel, but the rebound falls to Vetlesen, who smashes a close-range effort on the turn onto the crossbar! A huge let-off for Dortmund there.
11'
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Bensebaini alert
While Dortmund have been on top so far, Brugges also look really sharp. An attack down the left culminates with a cross to the back post, where Bensebaini arrives to head out for a corner with an attacker lurking behind him.
7'
vs
Adeyemi has a go!
The attacker finally finds some space and immediately lets fly with an effort from outside the box that Mignolet does well to paw clear.
4'
vs
Malen goes close!
The Dutchman meets a long ball floated towards the back post. He doesn't make a clean connection with his volley back across goal, it it still eludes the Brugges defence before bobbling just wide.
3'
vs
End to end
There's been no taking it easy or settling into a rhythm here: both teams are on the front foot at pace. No clear chances yet, but both defences have been stretched already.
1'
vs
Peeeep!
Here we go!
0 - 0
Kick-off!
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The Chaaaaaaampions!
The competition anthem blares out around the stadium as the players line up on the pitch. It's almost go-time here!
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No Guirassy, no Beier...
It's an interesting team selection from Şahin, opting to start without a recognised forward and leaving both Guirassy and Beier on the bench for now. Adeyemi has been playing very well recently though, while having some extra steel in midfield in the form of Can, Groß and Sabitzer is probably a wise move against a physical home side.
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Three changes for Dortmund
Following their 4-2 win over Heidenheim in the Bundesliga on Friday, head coach Şahin has made three changes to his side: Anton, Nmecha and Guirassy all drop to the bench, with Schlotterbeck, Can and Sabitzer starting instead.
vs
Brugge starting XI
Mignolet - Seys, Ordóñez, Mechele, De Cuyper - Vetlesen, Onyedika - Skov Olsen, Vanaken (c), Tzolis - Nilsson
As it happened: