Borussia Dortmund began their UEFA Champions League league-phase campaign with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Villarreal at Signal Iduna Park, surviving a chaotic finish after Serhou Guirassy’s second-half double appeared to have put the contest beyond reach.
After a tense, goalless first half in which both sides competed fiercely for control, Dortmund found the breakthrough eight minutes after the restart. Villarreal defender Renato Veiga turned the ball into his own net in the 53rd minute, handing the home side a crucial advantage.
Villarreal responded impressively and were level on 66 minutes when Santiago Mouriño rose to head home. The visitors had shown enough composure to make Dortmund work for every opening, and the match remained finely balanced entering the final 10 minutes.
That was when Guirassy took centre stage. The Dortmund forward restored the hosts’ lead with a goal in the 80th minute before converting a penalty five minutes later to make it 3-1. His clinical intervention looked set to seal a more comfortable finish for the Bundesliga side.
There was one last twist in stoppage time, however. Guirassy was credited with an own goal in the 90+3rd minute to give Villarreal renewed hope, but Dortmund saw out the remaining moments to secure all three points.
The statistics reflected the closeness of an entertaining European night. Dortmund held a narrow 52-48 possession edge and attempted 18 shots to Villarreal’s 13, while both teams registered six efforts on target. Dortmund also won nine corners to Villarreal’s seven as the hosts maintained pressure throughout.
Guirassy’s two goals in the 80th and 85th minutes ultimately proved decisive, even if his late own goal ensured a nervy ending. Dortmund will take confidence from an opening Champions League win, while Villarreal can point to their resilience after pushing the home side all the way.
