(Lazio-Dortmund 3–1) Erling Braut Haaland (20) hammered in the 11th Champions League goal of his career, but Borussia Dortmund still lost to Lazio after an extremely weak defensive game.
Ciro Immobile (30) was the top scorer with 36 goals in Serie A last season. At the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday night, the Lazio captain spent only five new minutes before inserting the team’s first net knowledge in the Champions League premiere.
Immobile took advantage of an ugly ball loss from Dortmund back Thomas Meunier and tipped in 1-0. After half time, Haaland could be seen despairing when teammate and goalkeeper Marwin Hitz made the situation worse by scoring an own goal.
Barely 20 minutes before the end, the Norwegian breathed life back into the points hope of the Germans with an insane finish from 15 meters that whizzed up the net – just to see Immobile and substitute Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro (28) ravage with the Dortmund defense once again shortly afterwards before the latter decided the match.
– It was simply a bad start. They took the initiative. We could not push hard. It was a solid tactic by their coach. They played us out tactically, says Haaland to Viasat.
He was happy with his own goal, which he describes as “a fantastic goal”, but not much more.
DESPAIR: Erling Braut Haaland depressed after the match against Lazio in Italy.
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Round game
For Dortmund, it was played around by the home team for most of the first half in a way you rarely see. The intensity of the German machinery was almost non-existent. The same applied to the precision of the passing game.
At the same time, the Lazio players were extremely concentrated. Simone Inzaghi’s light blue team had a lot of movement around the ball carrier and stormed in attack every time Dortmund gave them transfer opportunities. And there were many of those possibilities.
Immobile races from both Mats Hummels, Thomas Delaney and Lukasz Piszczek on repeated occasions, while CL debutant Jude Bellingham was run over centrally in midfield.
– It is some of the best I have seen of Lazio in a long, long time, says Viasat expert Rolf-Otto Eriksen.
CELEBRATED: Jean-Daniel Akpa-Akpro cheers with Ciro Immobile. Photo: MAURIZIO BRAMBATTI / ANSA
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«Mighty» Haaland
In parallel as Lazio played great offensively, Luiz Felipe and Francesco Acerbi tried to watch Haaland defensively. The Lazio stoppers succeeded usably in the first half, but the involvements to Jærbuen were always good.
– I notice that people are more aware of who I am. I get less time, but that’s no excuse. I should have scored more. At the same time, it is not good enough to concede three goals in the Champions League. Then you do not win matches, says Haaland.
In the second half, Haaland also got more room, and then the 20-year-old showed how extremely dangerous he is. The net knowledge after 71 minutes was magnificent on a good, but anything but finished goal, pass from substitute Giovanni Reyna (17).
– It is a fantastic ending. It comes hard and it bounces. That which is mightily well done, says Viasat expert Rune Bratseth.
The goal was Haaland’s 11th in nine matches in the Champions League. In the group’s other match, Belgian Club Brugge won 2-1 away against Russian Zenit St. Petersburg. Next Wednesday, the latter will come to Signal Iduna Park for the second round against Dortmund, while Lazio will go to Bruges.
See more statistics for the Champions League on VG Live.
Published: 20.10.20 at 22:51
Updated: 20.10.20 at 23:48
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