Borussia Dortmund missed the hoped-for win against AC Milan in the second game of the Champions League and is still bottom of the table with just one point.
Dortmund and Milan played out a goalless draw on Wednesday (October 4, 2023). This means that BVB is threatened with an early exit from the premier league after the second game without a goal. Borussia will now play on October 25th at Newcastle United, who performed extremely well against Paris Saint Germain.
Committed start from Dortmund
Dortmund’s start to the game was promising on several levels. First, Mats Hummels had to show his great class when Tommaso Pobega headed towards the BVB goal alone (4th). The former national player’s tackling was extremely important. But a little later, Borussia also showed their offensive qualities. Donyell Malen missed from about ten meters away (6th).
The game was at a good level, but it was only after about half an hour that the next top-class scoring chances developed. Malen missed again (28th), then Milan keeper Mike Maignan saved from Niklas Füllkrug at the very last second (31st). But Julian Brandt’s overhead kick (36′) and a shot attempt by Ramy Bensebaini (43′) also failed to produce a goal.
The Italians had their best chance shortly before Bensebaini’s shot: Olivier Giroud shot over the hosts’ goal from two meters while he was almost on the ground. Although the referees flagged offside in this situation, this decision would certainly have been overturned by the VAR if a goal had been scored.
Half two: Milan with more play
AC Milan came out of the locker room more focused. On the one hand, the northern Italians no longer allowed BVB to make any deals. On the other hand, the Dortmund defense had to make several saves again. First, Salih Özcan blocked a cross from Rafael Leão with perfect vision (50th), after a counterattack from the left, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel parried against a central shot attempt by former Dortmund player Christian Pulišić, which, however, was aimed precisely at the goalkeeper (54th).
20 minutes before the regular end of the game, the home team finally turned things up. First, central defender Nico Schlotterbeck tried at least once with a long-range shot, but it wasn’t a problem for Maignan (74′). Just a little later, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who had just been substituted, shot from half-left, but hit just over the goal (75′). Then captain Emre Can intervened twice with his force, but was blocked once and then shot low next to the Milan goal (79th).
Almost the late winning goal for Milan
But Dortmund’s period of pressure only lasted about ten minutes. Because Dortmund had to hold their breath when one of the guests’ few successful substitution moves occurred. After a pass from Alessandro Florenzi, Leao calmly crossed from the right, which Theo Hernandez converted into a powerful header that sailed just over Kobel’s goal.
Then Samuel Chukwueze failed twice against Kobel, and Tijjani Reijnders also missed. In the final phase both teams pushed for victory. But none of the teams were able to pull off the lucky punch.