da betano casino： Erik Ten Hag's winger-in-exile turned in a magnificent showing to give his side a slight advantage in their hunt for European glory
da spicy bet： Where has Jadon Sancho been for three years? No, not the one who underperformed before being exiled by Manchester United then sent back to Germany. Where was version, the mercurial and electric winger, who can change a game with his nifty turns and clever bag of tricks?
On Wednesday, Sancho in all of his creative glory showed up, stealing the spotlight from Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, who was smothered in a wall of Borussia Dortmund shirts. It all amounted to an enthralling 1-0 Dortmund win that really could have finished 4-4.
In the first half, while the Parisians poked and prodded, the visitors took their chance, as Nico Schlotterbeck's lofted pass found Niclas Fullkrug, whose left-footed shot fizzed past Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net.
The Parisians had their chances, though, and should have equalised on a number of occasions after the break. Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi both saw efforts ping off either post, before Fabian Ruiz nodded wide with the goal gaping.
The rest of the clash was marked by the dizzying legs of Sancho, and the chronic inability of players at both ends of the pitch to put the ball in the net, as Ousmane Dembele, Mbappe, Fullkrug and Marcel Sabitzer all missed presentable chances.
In the end, though, all the talk was of the contrast between Sancho and Mbappe on a night where the former reminded the world of his ability, while the latter's promise to bring European glory to his home town before he leaves was dented somewhat.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Signal Iduna Park…
Getty ImagesWINNER: Jadon Sancho
Are you watching, Erik ten Hag?! Sancho didn't actually start the game all that well, but the English winger was clearly identified as the focal point of this Dortmund attack, and Edin Terzic called on his team to funnel their attacks down the right-hand side.
The result was a magnificent performance on the big stage, as Sancho toyed with Nuno Mendes all evening, created three chances, and would have ended the night with two assists had Dortmund's forwards been more clinical.
But it wasn't just the passing. Sancho completed seven dribbles in the first half alone – more than he managed in a single game for United – and dazzled every time he touched the ball. It's fair to wonder where this player has been for the best part of three years, but on Wednesday, he showed up in full.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Kylian Mbappe
As for the other high-profile forward on the pitch… Mbappe was deployed in a central role here, and although he was, in theory, allowed some freedom to roam, found himself strangled by Dortmund defenders every time he touched the ball within 20 yards of the goal.
He has long promised that he will try to bring Champions League glory to Paris, and time-after-time, he has done his part to drag this often overmatched team to wins. But here, the Parisians are the clear favourites, and Mbappe needed to step up.
In his defence, he never forced anything – always making the right pass, or identifying the best time to dribble. And on another night, a fine curled effort that kissed the inside of the post might have crept in. Still, Mbappe was bottled up for long stretches, and rendered more or less irrelevant. For PSG to make it through, that narrative must shift at Parc des Princes next week.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Niclas Fullkrug
Two years ago, Fullkrug was an underappreciated talent, a big, powerful striker plying his trade for a team in Werder Bremen who were never truly likely to compete for the biggest honours. A move to Dortmund certainly raised his profile, but he hasn't quite become the prolific goal-scorer some thought he might be. Still, he has a tendency to crop up in big moments, and so he did here.
Dortmund knew that Fullkrug's power would be a problem through the middle, with neither Marquinhos nor Lucas Hernandez known for their physical nature of play. His goal was a classic sort for a physical striker, as he barrelled in behind, took one touch to bring the ball out of the air before smashing home with his second.
He had a couple of similar efforts in the second half and, one big miss notwithstanding, created chaos all evening. Terzic's side aren't blessed with immense firepower, but Fullkrug provided a much-needed spark.
Getty ImagesLOSER: PSG's finishing
Speaking of firepower… Where was it from the Parisians? Yes, Mbappe is supposed to be the main man up front for Luis Enrique's side, but this is a team laden with big-name, big-money talent. Throughout the 90 minutes, however, it often looked a competition as to who could fail to find the back of the net most egregiously.
Dembele was the first to audition, seeing one effort from close range saved, before skying another with the whole goal to hit in the second half. Hakimi also tried his hand at beating Gregor Kobel, pinging one off the post. And Ruiz, who admittedly made some clever runs from deep areas, skewed two headers wide when he really should have scored.
The Parisians finished the game with 1.58 xG – and will certainly be frustrated that they didn't at least realise it.