Borussia Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (Agg 3-5): Serhou Guirassy hat-trick in vain as Barca advance to Champions League semi-finals
Baku, April 16, AZERTAC
Serhou Guirassy scored a hat-trick and still ended up on the losing side as Borussia Dortmund's 3-1 win over Barcelona wasn't enough to prevent a 5-3 aggregate loss in the Champions League quarter-finals, Sky Sports reported.
After being swept aside 4-0 in the first leg of the quarter-final, Dortmund had nothing to lose and attacked Barcelona from the start.
Guirassy had missed chances in the first leg and spurned a couple more early in Tuesday's game but made no mistake from the penalty spot in the 11th minute after Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny collided with Pascal Gross.
Guirassy's header made it 2-0 in the 49th minute before an own goal by Ramy Bensebaini made Dortmund's task even harder.
Guirassy seized on Ronald Araujo's defensive error to complete his hat-trick with a powerful close-range shot in the 76th, in the process becoming the Champions League's top scorer this season on 13 goals.
It gave Dortmund fresh hope of completing what would have been one of the all-time great Champions League comebacks - one to rival Barcelona's against Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 - but Barcelona held on to progress.
Barcelona, who suffered their first loss in all competitions since December, will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
It's the first time Barca, who suffered a first Champions League defeat since September, have reached the last four of the Champions League since the 2018/19 season.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa produced a spirited comeback against Paris Saint-German at Villa Park but are out of the Champions League following an incredible 5-4 aggregate defeat.
Facing a 3-1 deficit from the first leg, they slipped two behind on the night following goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes to seemingly end any hopes of a comeback but stunned PSG by pulling three of the four goals back, roared on by the Villa crowd.
Efforts by Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ezri Konsa had the French champions and competition favourites rocking but the final goal would not come. Marco Asensio had the clearest opportunity against his parent club but was denied one-against-one.
For Villa, thoughts now turn to domestic matters and a hectic schedule that sees them face Newcastle and Manchester City in the Premier League before an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.
Villa did all they could to create a hostile atmosphere, pressing from the outset and roared on by the home support, but the assumption was that this second leg was likely to hinge on the first goal and it was PSG who claimed it on the break after 11 minutes.
Mendes sent Bradley Barcola away and Emiliano Martinez could only palm the cross into the path of the onrushing Hakimi. Before the half-hour mark, Villa were undone again on the break, Hakimi's fellow full-back Mendes finishing off that slick move.
Villa's night was threatening to unravel at that point, in danger of losing face as well as the tie, but they kept pushing and were rewarded when Tielemans' shot deflected into the net off Willian Pacho. That got them in at the break still four down on aggregate.
It was two goals in quick succession that changed the complexion of the night, a deflected strike by McGinn followed by some magic from Marcus Rashford to set up Konsa. At that point, the previously assured PSG appeared to be feeling the pressure.
Villa created big chances in the game but Asensio's was the one, at a time when the momentum was really with Emery's side. Gianluigi Donnarumma saved with his feet and the substitutions by the home side seemed to disrupt the rhythm for a while.
Ian Maatsen did have a shot blocked in stoppage-time but PSG stumbled over the line.
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