‘Almost perfect’ PSG get the better of Borussia Dortmund in Champions League opener
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Paris Saint-Germain's Achraf Hakimi celebrates scoring their second goal with Kylian Mbappe and Vitinha.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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PARIS – Paris Saint-Germain got their Champions League campaign off to an “almost perfect” winning start on Tuesday, as a Kylian Mbappe penalty set them up for a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Parc des Princes.
The French champions had dominated the first half without overly troubling the Dortmund defence, but they went ahead four minutes after the break when Mbappe scored a spot kick awarded for a Niklas Sule handball.
Achraf Hakimi added a second, and PSG could have won the Group F encounter by a far more handsome margin.
The result immediately puts them in control of the group, after AC Milan and Newcastle United drew 0-0 earlier, and coach Luis Enrique will hope they can build on this performance when they visit the English side next in a fortnight.
“It was an almost perfect evening,” said the Spaniard. “I enjoyed practically everything about it, our intensity from the very beginning, the way we controlled the game for the first 75 minutes.
“We could have scored at least another goal but this win gives us confidence going forward. This is going to be a difficult group for everyone.”
The German side, meanwhile, were nowhere near their best and must improve when they entertain Milan next. They are still adapting to life without Jude Bellingham and coach Edin Terzic also dropped Sebastien Haller, with the big striker enduring a difficult start to the campaign.
PSG are also in the early weeks of a new era following the departures of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Marco Verratti, and most of all, Enrique’s arrival.
The former Spain coach, who won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2015, insisted on the eve of this game that he needs time to get his ideas across to his players, many of whom also arrived over the summer.
There were five new signings in PSG’s line-up, including Ousmane Dembele and Randal Kolo Muani in attack.
Preferred to Goncalo Ramos, Kolo Muani was starting for the first time since joining from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe (second from left) scores a penalty.
PHOTO: AFP
The turning point of the game came when Mbappe stepped up to stroke in the penalty for his eighth goal this season. Hakimi doubled the advantage in the 58th minute with a delicate chip after being superbly set up by Vitinha.
PSG then controlled the final 30 minutes and finished with a clean sheet as Dortmund failed to threaten.
“We could say that we didn’t have the spirit, we should have been more aggressive,” lamented Terzic.
“If we don’t have that spirit, it will always be difficult, we lost the ball several times.” AFP, REUTERS
