Borussia Dortmund secured a 2-0 victory over Atalanta in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout play-off tie at Signal Iduna Park. Serhou Guirassy scored and assisted in the win, giving the hosts a strong advantage ahead of the return leg in Bergamo. The match started 15 minutes late due to Dortmund's travel issues.
The game kicked off later than scheduled because of travel problems for Borussia Dortmund, but the hosts quickly took control. Just three minutes in, Julian Ryerson delivered a precise cross from the right, allowing Serhou Guirassy to head powerfully past Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi for the opener.
Dortmund faced defensive challenges without key players Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Süle, Emre Can, and Filippo Mané, leading to 18-year-old Luca Reggiani making his Champions League debut. Atalanta missed Belgium's Charles De Ketelaere and Italy's Giacomo Raspadori.
Atalanta responded around the 20-minute mark, with Nicola Zalewski providing dangerous crosses from the left that tested Dortmund's makeshift defense. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel stayed alert to keep a clean sheet. Tensions rose, resulting in yellow cards for Reggiani, Odilon Kossounou, Berat Djimsiti, and Gianluca Scamacca in the first half.
Dortmund regained dominance before halftime. In the 42nd minute, Guirassy combined with Felix Nmecha on the left before sliding a pass across the box for Maximilian Beier to tap in the second goal.
At halftime, Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino substituted Isak Hien for Djimsiti and Nikola Krstović for Scamacca. The visitors had more possession in the second half but created few chances, with Krstović's long-range shot easily saved by Kobel. Waldemar Anton received a yellow for Dortmund.
Further changes included Kamaldeen Sulemana replacing Atalanta captain Marten de Roon in the 63rd minute, and late substitutions of Lazar Samardžić, Fabio Silva, and Marcel Sabitzer for Dortmund. The hosts managed the game professionally, securing the 2-0 win and a valuable lead for the second leg.
