After Borussia Dortmund defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in the semi-final first leg on Wednesday, the German team's manager Edin Terzic cautioned his players that their work to get to the Champions League final is far from finished.
In the presence of nearly 80,000 spectators, a determined and resilient Dortmund team emerged victorious, with Niclas Fullkrug securing the sole goal of the game.
During the 36th minute of the match, Fullkrug, a 31-year-old athlete, successfully made his inaugural appearance in the Champions League. He elegantly delivered a precise pass by center-back player Nico Schlotterbeck and expertly directed a shot towards the left corner of the goal.
In the early stages of the second half, Paris Saint-Germain, led by Kylian Mbappe, successfully struck the crossbar twice in rapid succession. However, they regrettably failed to find the back of the net.
Dortmund aims to return to Wembley 11 years after their last Champions League final, despite previous losses and draws against PSG.
Despite the loss, PSG remains optimistic about closing the gap against the outmatched team when they play at home in September.
Terzic said PSG has been geared up for a Champions League win since Qatari acquisition, emphasizing the forwards' differences.
Two years ago, Fullkrug of Dortmund was playing football in the second division, whilst Mbappe of PSG, who is probably in his final season for his home club, is one of the biggest football players in the world.
Dortmund dominated the first half with support from a passionate home crowd, who jeered at Mbappe. Sancho, on loan from Manchester United, excelled on the right side after a disagreement with manager Erik ten Hag.
Fuellkrug scored after 36 minutes with a brilliant forward play. Schlotterbeck, instead of passing back to the goalie, unexpectedly punted the ball forward. Only Fuellkrug anticipated this move and with one touch, he beat Gigi Donnarumma with a low shot.
Despite their offensive capability in the initial period, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) had minimal opportunities and failed to record any attempts on goal. This incident took place after PSG's recent triumph in securing the Ligue 1 championship the preceding weekend.
After the break, the visitors showed energy. Mbappe hit the post, followed closely by Hakimi hitting the other.
PSG missed a chance to tie the score after 56 minutes when Marquinhos passed to Fabian Ruiz, but his diving header missed.
With only ten minutes left on the clock, Ousmane Dembele, yet another former player of Dortmund, failed to capitalize on his opportunity as he blasted the ball over the goal from an advantageous position in front.
With only a few seconds left on the clock, the exceptionally skilled Sancho skillfully assisted Julian Brandt with an exceptional pass. However, the resilient PSG defense thwarted Dortmund's opportunity to score a second goal.
With this victory and the 2-2 draw between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the other semi-final on Tuesday, it is Germany, rather than England or France, that will secure an additional spot in the upcoming season of the Champions League.
Dortmund's participation in the upcoming tournament next season is attributed to this.