CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAYER RATINGS | Sporting 0-3 Borussia Dortmund | OneFootball

In Niko Kovac’s second game in charge, Borussia Dortmund turned a disappointing first half around to beat Sporting 3-0 and give them a very good chance of qualifying for the round of 16.

Based on the first-half performance, if you had decided to watch Manchester City vs Real Madrid, good choice. In the first 45, Dortmund did not create any meaningful chance to challenge the Sporting keeper. It also took them at least 20-25 minutes to actually get into the game as well. Most of the best chances in the first half fell to the hosts with Maximiliano Araujo hitting the woodwork, Gregor Kobel was again challenged by several more efforts, including one from Conrad Harder, which he saved with his arm.

In the second half, however, Dortmund completely turned their performance around. First, Serhou Guirassy opened the scoring after diverting a Julian Brandt cross into the net. The striker then turned provider as he crossed the ball in for Pascal Groß to score his first goal for Dortmund. The goal and assist means that Guirassy has been involved in 13 goals this season, the most ever by a Dortmund player in the Champions League, per Opta. Brandt would then get his second assist of the game after crossing the ball across the face of the goal.

Considering their first-half performance, a comprehensive win for Dortmund and a much-needed one as well as it brings to an end their poor run of form. The win also gives Die Schwarzgelben, barring an implosion, a very good chance at qualifying for the round of 16 with the second leg to come next week at the Signal Iduna Park.

However, if Dortmund want to go a respectable distance in the Champions League this season they cannot play like they did in the first half, when they face better teams later in the competition they will be beaten, with relative ease. While Dortmund also have to play the same they did in the second half in the league, if they do, they have an outside chance of European qualification.

Borussia Dortmund XI:

Gregor Kobel (6), Julian Ryerson (6), Emre Can (5), Nico Schlotterbeck (6), Daniel Svensson (6), Marcel Sabitzer (5), Pascal Groß (6), Karim Adeyemi (6) Julian Brandt (7), Jamie Gittens (5), Serhou Guirassy (8)

Others: Maximilian Beier (5), Carney Chukwuemeka (-), Julien Duranville (-), Salih Özcan (-), Niklas Süle (-)

GGFN Man of the Match: Serhou Guirassy (8)

Dortmund’s best player, not only in this game but for the majority of this season. Without the 29-year-old, they would be in a lot worse situation. On his day he elevates the Dortmund attack, the only problem is, those days have looked few and far between in recent weeks (which tells you a lot about the opening sentence of this paragraph). Hopefully, he will use this to kick on and regain his league form.

GGFN | Jack Meenan