It was always going to be an important game, but just 24 hours after the attack on the Dortmund team bus on Tuesday night, there was heightened interest in Monaco’s away game in the first leg of the Champions’ League quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Monaco totally dominated the first half, with an opening goal from Mbappe in the 19th minute and a second, handball own goal, from Bender in the 35th. Commentators agreed that the slow start by the home team was owed much to the previous night’s attack, with morale seriously hit.
Dortmund’s Dembele failed with a free kick in the second minute of the second half, but Dortmund were showing more spirit that paid off handsomely in the 57th minute with a great team goal from Dembele taking the score to 1-2.
The home side kept up the pressure in the second period with most of the action in the Monaco half and Dortmund clearly dominating both possession and attempts. But suddenly 18-year-old Mbappe took advantage of a serious gap in the Dortmund defence in the 78th minute to ram home his second goal of the game. Two minutes later Fabinho was given a yellow card.
Dortmund stayed in the game with a successful shot from Kagawa in the 83rd minute, to bring the scoreline to 2-3. Germain was brought on to replace a tired Falcao, but again most of the action was close to the Monaco goal.
The second leg will be played on Wednesday, April 19, at State Louis II. Will it be another goalfest? Monaco are the favourites, but Dortmund should not be written off.