As the final whistle blew on this pulsating, perplexing game you could see the two sides stumbling around in a kind of daze, still trying to process things. Wondering how their combined efforts and errors had resulted in just a single goal. Wondering whether – for all their boldness and brittleness – this really could be Borussia Dortmund’s year.
Niclas Füllkrug’s first-half goal ultimately settled matters, even if very little felt settled during a subsequent hour during which Gregor Kobel’s goal seemed to be doused in holy water. Kylian Mbappé had 52 touches, three shots on goal, hit the post and still left empty-handed. But perhaps Dortmund had earned their luck too. They could quite easily have scored more themselves after a performance of utter conviction and a maturity that has not always been their hallmark. “The result is OK,” Edin Terzic said afterwards, refusing to get carried away. “We have a small lead and a good opportunity.”
