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PSG overcame Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the first game of their 2023-24 Champions League campaign on Tuesday, September 19.
Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi were the scorers as the Parisians took first place in Group F, with AC Milan and Newcastle United drawing the other match in the group.
Meeting for the first time since March 2020, PSG and Dortmund played out an entertaining clash, but there were no goals in the opening stanza.
Just four minutes into the second half, though, the hosts won a penalty after Mbappe's shot came off the arm of Niklas Sule, and the former duly converted from 12 yards. Another nine minutes later, Hakimi made it 2-0 with a spectacular effort following a neat one-two with Vitinha.
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However, with their forwards struggling to get hold of the match, and PSG in dominant form, there was no late flourish for Edin Terzic's side.
Here are five talking points from the match:
#5 Mbappe continues his hot scoring streak
Kylian Mbappe entered the match on the back of a sizzling run that saw him score in all four of his Ligue 1 appearances in the 2023-24 season. His last three outings in the league even produced a hat-trick of braces.
Therefore, it wasn't surprising to see him get on the scoresheet again on Tuesday, even if it was from the penalty spot. Mbappe's shot came off the arm of Niklas Sule, earning PSG a penalty, which the 24-year-old nonchalantly converted.
He scampered up a few steps before lashing an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner. Gregor Kobel guessed the right way, but there was too much power in the effort.
That's eight goals in five games now. Sky's the limit for Mbappe.
#4 Dortmund's away woes in Europe continue
While Borussia Dortmund are a formidable opposition at the Signal Iduna Park, their away form in Europe has been disappointing.
Since the 2021-22 season, Der BVB have played nine games away from home, winning just one: a 4-1 drubbing of Sevilla at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in October last year.
Dortmund's proclivity to underperform on the road has cost them big time in recent years. Their 2021-22 campaign ended in the group stages after three defeats, including a 4-0 demolition by Ajax in Amsterdam, before their Round of 16 exit last season to Chelsea despite holding a 1-0 advantage.
On Tuesday, their misery continued with PSG condemning Dortmund to a 2-0 loss in Paris. Edin Terzic's side can still turn this around, but only if their form in away games improves.
#3 Achraf Hakimi haunts his former side
After struggling to find a permanent spot in Real Madrid's starting line-up, Achraf Hakimi joined Borussia Dortmund in 2018, where the Moroccan realized his true potential.
Over the next two years, Hakimi established himself among the best full-backs for his offensive quality before departing for Inter Milan. Now at PSG, he came up against his former team for the first time and left his mark.
Just nine minutes after Mbappe opened their account, Hakimi doubled their advantage. After playing a neat one-two with Vitinha, the 24-year-old showed quick feet to launch an outside-of-the-boot finish.
World-class stuff from a world-class right-back.
#2 Dortmund forwards flatter to deceive
Borussia Dortmund have one of the most talented attacking lineups in all of Europe, as it's been demonstrated once again this season. But at the Parc des Princes, the Bundesliga giants struggled to carry that form onto the European stage.
Despite finishing with only 31% possession, Dortmund mustered 14 shots in the game, but just one of them was on target. That came from Donyell Malen, who came into the match on the back of four goals in five games this season.
On Tuesday, though, the Dutchman was a pale shadow of himself, starved of proper service and struggling to make an impact off the ball too. His strike partner Karim Adeyemi was a damp-squib too, mustering just one shot in the game.
#1 PSG have room for improvement
With PSG beating Borussia Dortmund, and AC Milan and Newcastle United playing out a draw in the other clash, the Ligue 1 champions took first position in Group F after matchday one.
It holds them in good stead to reach the Round of 16, for which the Parisians are favorites, but there's plenty of room for improvement. Their centre-backs once again looked shaky, while young midfielders like Warren Zaire-Emery and Manuel Ugarte are still rough around the edges.
Given their performances this season, it seems like Mbappe is carrying the side on his shoulders, and while it's so far so good, PSG need to rise up collectively to make a deep run in the Champions League.
