Borussia Dortmund's win over Shahktar Donetsk made their UEFA Champions League knockouts path a little clearer, with a last 16 play-off against either Sporting Lisbon or Club Brugge to come.

Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
Goals: 1-0 Guirassy 17' (assist: Adeyemi), 2-0 Guirassy 44' (assist: Brandt), 2-1 Marlon 50', 3-1 Bensebaini (assist: Reyna)

Dortmund dominated from the off at Signal Iduna Park, knocking the ball around with menacing intent. Their opener came after 17 minutes, after Karim Adeyemi latched onto a lofted pass from Nico Schlotterbeck before driving inside his marker and shooting. That low effort was intercepted by Serhou Guirassy, who applied a poacher’s finish to hand his side an early lead. Shakhtar grew into the game, fashioning several half chances, but were outdone on the counter just before the break. It was Guirassy again, this time speeding onto a Julian Brandt through ball before cooly slotting beyond the goalkeeper. The goal was the Guinean’s ninth in eight Champions League appearances so far this season. 

Guirassy almost made it 3-0 immediately after the break, only to see his powerful low header denied by the outstretched leg of Dmytro Diznyk. Yet Dortmund’s encouraging start to the half was quickly undone by an error from goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. The Swiss dithered too long on an innocuous back-pass, allowing Marlon to charge in and bundle the ball into an empty net in the 50th minute. The Ukranians pushed relentlessly for an equaliser – goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk on alert to halt sporadic Dortmund attacks when they arose. Yet despite their efforts, Dortmund held firm in the lashing rain. Their resistance held until Ramy Bensebaini restored the two-goal cushion in the 79th minute following a neat exchange with Giovanni Reyna. However, with the likes of Lille, Bayer Leverkusen and Aston Villa also winning, three points alone weren’t enough to see Tullberg’s side directly into the last 16. 

Match stats

• Guirassy has been directly involved in 11 goals in eight Champions League games for Dortmund this season (nine of his own, plus two assists). He is just the third BVB player to hit double figures for goal contributions in a single Champions League campaign, after Robert Lewandowski in 2012/13 and Erling Haaland in 2020/21 (both 12).
• With two goals for Rennes, as well as eight for BVB, Guirassy is the first player in Champions League history to score in his first six home Champions League appearances.
• Dortmund are now unbeaten in their five previous meetings with Shakhtar in European competition (W4, D1).
• Beaten by Barcelona on Matchday 6, BVB haven’t lost consecutive Champions League home games since April/September 2017, and never within the same season.
• Only one of Dortmund's last 10 head coaches has lost his first Champions League match for the club (W6, D3). That man was Peter Bosz, who oversaw a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in November 2017.

Teams

Dortmund: Kobel – Ryerson, Can (c), Sclotterbeck, Bensebaini (Anton 89’) – Brandt (Reyna 64’), Sabitzer, Beier (Groß 46’) – Gittens (Yan Couto 85’), Guirassy, Adeyemi (Duranville 64’)
Subs: Meyer, Lotka, Campbell, Wätjen, Mane, Kabar, Azhil
Out: Süle (ankle), Nmecha (knee)
Coach: Mike Tullberg

Donetsk: Riznyk – Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko, Azarov – Kryskiv (Stepanenko 88’) – Zubkov (Traoré 73’), Marlon (Bodarenko 84’), Sudakov, Kevin – Pedrinho (Newertton 84’)
Subs: Tvardovskyi, Fesiun, Shved, Pedro Henrique, Ghram, Konoplia, Faryna
Out: -
Coach: Pusic Marino

As it happened!

3 - 1

(2 - 0)

Dortmund

FINAL

Shakhtar

Champions League
League phase, Matchday 8 League phase, Matchday 8 Signal Iduna Park

Full-time

90'

Injury time update

The referee signals for an additional four minutes to be played.

89'

Substitution

Waldemar Anton

Ramy Bensebaini

88'

Substitution

Stepanenko

Kryskiv

88'

Shakhtar keep pushing

There's not long left but the away side admirably keep pressing for a goal. It doesn't feel totally dead and buried just yet.

85'

Substitution

Yan Couto

Jamie Gittens

84'

Substitution

Bodnarenko

Marlon

84'

Substitution

Newertton

Pedrinho

79'

Dortmund land huge blow!

Bensebaini plays a tidy one two with Reyna, latching onto the American's back-heeled return into the area. The defender holds his nerve, taking his time before gently lifting his effort over Riznyk and into the net. That elusive third goal is theirs.

79'

Ramy Bensebaini

GOAL!

3:1

78'

Guirassy so close!

Guirassy steals the ball on the edge of the Shakthar area and plays a neat one-two before curling an effort towards the left post. It goes just wide and out for a goal kick.

73'

Substitution

Zubkov

Traoré

72'

Guirassy just wide

A neat backheel from Reyna sends Gittens speeding down the left flank. He spots a run from Guirassy and slips the striker in behind the defence. Riznyk charges out to close the angle and watches as the striker lofts one over him. It goes agonisingly wide of the near post.

70'

Shakhtar reassert dominance

The visitors stroke the ball around smartly in the BVB half. They want this leveller.

66'

Superb stop from Riznyk

Ryerson floats in a free kick from the left flank and Bensebaini flicks it on powerfully towards the far right post. But Riznyk rises to tip it over the crossbar. Brilliant save.

65'

Substitution

Julien Duranville

Karim Adeyemi

65'

Substitution

Giovanni Reyna

Julian Brandt

58'

Yellow card

Marlon

Gift-wrapped!

Shakhtar players celebrate the jammiest goal they'll score this season. Great hustle from the away side but that could so easily have been avoided.

© Stuart Franklin

56'

Good work from Gittens

The Englishman beats two men down the left flank and drives into the box. His low cross is blocked behind for a corner.

50'

Shakhtar are back in it!

It's a ridiculous mistake by Kobel, who dithers too long on the ball and is caught by Marlon. The Shakhtar man charges in to block the goalkeeper's attempted clearance and the ball dribbles into an empty net.

50'

Marlon

GOAL!

2:1

48'

Incredible save!

Ryerson fizzes in free-kick from the left-hand side. Guirassy meets it and sends a powerful header down towards the bottom right corner. But Riznyk makes a sensational stop with his outstretched leg to send it up and over the crossbar.

46'

Substitution

Pascal Groß

Maximilian Beier

Kick-off!

Half-time: Dortmund 2-0 Shakhtar

It's been a walk in the park for Dortmund, following a cagey opening few minutes. Guirassy broke the deadlock with a scruffy finish before adding a second just before the break. As things stand, BVB sit ninth – just outside the automatic qualification zone. But there's still a long way to go.

© IMAGO/David Inderlied

Half-time

44'

Guirassy at the double!

BVB clear the ball long into the Shakhtar half, where a bustling Brandt wins it before slipping it through to a rampant Guirassy. The Guinean races clear of his marker, moves into the area and smacks a low shot beyond Riznyk. It's a superb counter and a wonderfully composed finish from the big man.

44'

Serhou Guirassy

GOAL!

2:0

43'

BVB back on top

The home side dominate the ball as we edge towards half-time.

38'

Great defending

Sudakov is picked out behind the BVB defence and moves into the area with the ball. He shoots from a wide angle but Schlotterbeck gets back to make a brilliant block. He sends the ball behind for a corner before jumping up and roaring his delight towards the stands.

Guirassy's opener

The Guinean scores his 22nd goal in 29 games for club and country so far this season.

© Stuart Franklin

35'

Gittens leads the charge

Gittens breaks down the left flank and beats his man with a couple of step overs. He makes space to shoot but it's blocked behind for a corner.

34'

Close!

Ryerson's inswinging free-kick is flicked onto Schlotterbeck, who steers his header just over the crossbar.

33'

Shooting chance for BVB

Gittens is hacked down on the edge of the Shakhtar box. Ryerson lines up to take the resulting free kick.

31'

Better from Shakhtar

The visitors enjoy a good spell in possession, working the ball smartly down the right before Pedrinho unleashes a shot from the edge of the area. It's easily blocked but Shakhtar regain possession and maintain pressure.

29'

Schlotterbeck on target

Schlotterbeck rises highest to meet a Ryerson corner, but it's a little too high for the Germany international and his header floats gently into the arms of Riznyk.

27'

Beier goes in the book

Beier loses the ball inside the Shakhtar box and races after it. His challenge is a little overzealous and he's rightly booked.

27'

Yellow card

Maximilian Beier

26'

Yellow card

Kevin

24'

Good play from Gittens

The Englishman receives the corner short and turns his marker before fizzing a dangerous ball across the area. Riznyk punches clear.

23'

Big chance

Guirassy is hacked down from behind and wins a free kick just outside the Shakhtar area. Sabitzer hits it but the wall does it's job and it sails out for a corner.

17'

Guirassy scores for BVB!

Schlotterbeck lobs a delightful ball over the Shakhtar back line, onto the toe of a galloping Adeyemi. The forward cuts inside his marker and curls a shot towards the far post. The goalkeeper commits, only for Guirassy to intercept the shot and bundle it over the line. Dortmund up to ninth as things stand.

17'

Serhou Guirassy

GOAL!

1:0

12'

Kobel forced to save

Zubkov speeds down the right wing before sending a low shot towards the far corner. Kobel gets down quickly to parry away. The game's first chance goes the visitors' way.

12'

Positive play from Dortmund

Ryerson wins the ball inside the Shakhtar half and slips in Beier, who chases after the ball inside the opposition box. It's just ahead of the forward, however, and a grateful Riznyk gathers. Positive stuff from BVB.

7'

It's all a bit tense

Shakhtar have grown into the game but it's very cagey from both teams so far, as you might expect given what's at stake tonight.

3'

Dortmund on the front foot

The Black-Yellows dominate the ball in the early stages as Shakhtar sit deep inside their own half.

1'

Peeeep!

Borussia Dortmund get us underway at Signal-Iduna Park.

Kick-off!

Tough opposition

Dortmund are unbeaten in four previous meetings against Shakhtar (W3, D1). The latter have fared better away against other German opposition, defeating RB Leipzig 4-1 in 2022/23 and Hoffenheim 3-2 in 2018/19.

Goal machine

Serhou Guirassy has 21 goals in 28 games for club and country this campaign, and has bagged a goal or assist in every Champions League match this season.

© ALBERTO PIZZOLI

Shakhtar starting XI

Riznyk – Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko, Azarov – Kryskiv – Zubkov, Marlon, Sudakov, Kevin – Pedrinho

Shakhtar subs

Tvardovskyi, Fesiun, Traoré, Stepanenko, Shved, Pedro Henrique, Ghram, Bodarenko, Konoplia, Newertton, Faryna

Borussia Dortmund starting XI

Kobel – Ryerson, Can (c), Sclotterbeck, Bensebaini – Brandt, Sabitzer, Beier – Gittens, Guirassy, Adeyemi

Borussia Dortmund subs

Meyer, Lotka, Yan Couto, Anton, Reyna, Groß, Duranville, Campbell, Wätjen, Mane, Kabar, Azhil

Anton the key?

In his press conference, Tullberg announced that Waldemar Anton would be available, fuelling speculation that the stopper could return to the starting XI to allow captain Emre Can to move back to midfield in place of Felix Nmecha, who picked up a knee ligament injury early on in the draw with Bremen.

© DFL/GettyImages/Christian Kaspar-Bartke

Form

Dortmund are unbeaten in four previous meetings with Shakhtar in European competition (W3, D1), most recently eliminating the Ukrainians from the 2012/13 Champions League last 16. The German club went on to contest the final that season (a 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich).

2:03

Dortmund winless in 2025

The black-Yellows could certainly do with a bump - they have won just once in their last ten matches in all competitions - the 3-1 Matchday 15 Bundesliga win in Wolfsburg just before the winter break.

Tullberg's Champions League debut

This will be interim boss Mike Tullberg's first Champions League match as a head coach and, although the new coach bump didn't quite materialise in his first Bundesliga match in charge, perhaps his UEFA Youth League experience at the helm of the club's U19 side (2W,2D,2L) can have an impact against Shakhtar. In any case, he has convinced keeper Gregor Kobel: "Mike has been very self-confident from day one. He has great energy. Our goal now is to quickly achieve success as a team."

© IMAGO/Patrick Ahlborn

Guirassy eyeing record

The in-form striker has been directly involved in at least one goal in each of his five Champions League home games to date (two goals for Rennes, four goals and one assist for Dortmund). No player in the history of this competition has ever managed to directly contribute to at least one goal in each of their first six home games.

© Dean Mouhtaropoulos

Watch out for Sudakov

Heorhii Sudakov is Donetsk's top scorer in this Champions League campaign. The Ukrainian has been directly involved in three goals (two goals and one assist), and has provided more passes leading to a shot than any other player for his team (ten).

© IMAGO/Rene Nijhuis/MB Media

The Guirassy factor

However, Shakhtar will have to contend with the prowess of in-form Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy. In his seven Champions League appearances for Dortmund this season, the striker has been directly involved in nine goals (seven goals, two assists). He could now become only the third Dortmund player to be directly involved in at least ten goals in a single season. Only Robert Lewandowski (twelve, 2012/13) and Erling Haaland (twelve, 2020/21) have previously achieved this feat.

© Lars Baron

Shakhtar hoping for a miracle

Thanks to their 2-0 win against Brest on Matchday 7, Shakhtar Donetsk now sit in 27th place in the table with seven points, just three points from a Play-off spot. This means that victory could see them progress to the next round, and the Ukrainian battlers will doubtless go all-out to do so.

Marino Pušić on facing Dortmund

"It is always interesting to face a situation when the coach changes a week before the game. They played one match against Werder Bremen, so we could watch it. I do not think there will be many changes because the team is used to playing with a certain structure, a certain system. It is up to us how quickly we can recognise the opponent’s actions and how quickly we can act and work to the best of our abilities to compete against a very good opponent."

© IMAGO/BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Buriakov

Mike Tullberg on facing Shakhtar

"Donetsk are very strong in possession, and they also have many players who are good in one-on-one situations. But it's much more about us bringing our strengths onto the pitch."

© IMAGO/Dennis Ewert/RHR-FOTO

The story so far: Shakhtar Donetsk

Shakhtar, who have been playing their home games not far from Dortmund in Gelsenkirchen, currently sit in 27th, just inside the elimination places on seven points. They have won two, drawn one and lost four of their games so far, with one of those two wins coming in their recent game against Brest (2-0). They are managed by former Cologne midfielder Marino Pušić, who represented their second team between 1994-95.

The story so far: Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund sit in 14th on 12 points, just one point behind Leverkusen in 8th. They currently sit in the seeded playoff places, but will hope a home victory can fire them into the automatic advancement spots (into the round of 16). They have lost their previous two games in the competition (3-2 vs Barcelona, 2-1 vs Bologna) but showed plenty of promise against Hansi Flick's side despite the result, and also put seven past Celtic in the early stages of the competition.

© IMAGO/RHR-FOTO

2:03

Watch: Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Werder Bremen - highlights

Life after Nuri Şahin started with a 2-2 draw at home to Werder Bremen. Dortmund took a two-goal lead - despite being a man down after Nico Schlotterbeck's early sending off - but then shipped two second-half goals to concede a share of the points.

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of Borussia Dortmund's eighth and final game of the UEFA Champions League's 2024/25 league phase at home to Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, with all 18 fixtures being played simultaneously on the final matchday.

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