Dortmund down Ajax
Lewandowski late show enough for German champions
Last Updated: September 18, 2012 10:34pm
Mario Gotze was a key figure for Dortmund, winning a second-half penalty
Robert Lewandowski's 87th-minute goal gave Borussia Dortmund a winning start to their latest Champions League campaign.
Mats Hummels' missed second half penalty looked like being costly for Jurgen Klopp's side in their opening fixture in Group D.
However, Lewandowski struck three minutes from time in front of a crowd of more than 80,000 at the Westfalenstadion.
Dortmund had most of the first half chances, although none of them were clear-cut.
The game's first opening came in the 10th minute - but Lewandowski's shot was wide of the target.
Two minutes later at the other end Christian Eriksen had a shot which Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller parried for a corner.
The home side's Mario Gotze saw his close-range effort blocked by Ajax goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer soon after.
Lewandowski tried an ambitious 25-yard lob just before the half hour mark - but it went over the crossbar - then Marcel Schmelzer brought a save out of Vermeer.
Chance
The final chance of the first half came in the 42nd minute - but Sebastian Kehl's 30-yard effort sailed over.
The visitors were almost level early in the second half but Weidenfeller did brilliantly to parry Siem de Jong's powerfully struck shot.
Lewandowski shot over before Marco Reus brought a brilliant save out of Vermeer in the 52nd minute.
Then IIkay Gundogan shot over in the 52nd minute as the home side increased the pressure.
Five minutes later the hosts had a penalty when Ajax's Ricardo Van Rhijn was penalised for fouling Gotze in the penalty area.
However Matt Hummels' penalty was weakly struck and easily saved by Vermeer.
Ivan Perisic was brought on for Jakub Blaszczykowski for the home side, before Ajax's Ryan Babel was replaced by Lasse Schone with 11 minutes remaining.
The decisive breakthrough came when Lukasz Piszczek headed goalwards and Lewandowski supplied a neat finish into the corner from 12 yards.
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Matches
-
UEFA Champions League
Tue 18th Sep - Group B
Tue 18th Sep - Group D
Tue 18th Sep - Group C
Tue 18th Sep - Group A
Tables
UEFA Champions League Group A
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris St Germain | 6 | 15 |
| 2 | FC Porto | 6 | 13 |
| 3 | Dynamo Kiev | 6 | 5 |
| 4 | Dinamo Zagreb | 6 | 1 |
UEFA Champions League Group B
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schalke | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Olympiakos FC | 6 | 9 |
| 4 | Montpellier | 6 | 2 |
UEFA Champions League Group C
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malaga | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | AC Milan | 6 | 8 |
| 3 | Zenit St. Petersburg | 6 | 7 |
| 4 | Anderlecht | 6 | 5 |
UEFA Champions League Group D
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Borussia Dortmund | 6 | 14 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 6 | 11 |
| 3 | Ajax | 6 | 4 |
| 4 | Manchester City | 6 | 3 |
UEFA Champions League Group E
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juventus | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 6 | 10 |
| 4 | FC Nordsjaelland | 6 | 1 |
UEFA Champions League Group F
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayern Munich | 6 | 13 |
| 2 | Valencia | 6 | 13 |
| 3 | BATE Borisov | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | Lille | 6 | 3 |
UEFA Champions League Group G
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 6 | 13 |
| 2 | Celtic | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | Benfica | 6 | 8 |
| 4 | Spartak Moscow | 6 | 3 |
UEFA Champions League Group H
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester United | 6 | 12 |
| 2 | Galatasaray | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | CFR Cluj-Napoca | 6 | 10 |
| 4 | Braga | 6 | 3 |
