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Champions League | Quarter-Finals
Apr 12, 2017 at 5.45pm UK
 
M

2-3

Dembele (57'), Kagawa (84')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Mbappe (20', 79'), Bender (35' og.)

Kylian Mbappe fires AS Monaco towards semi-finals with brace in Dortmund

:Headline: Result: Kylian Mbappe fires AS Monaco towards semi-finals with brace in Dortmund: ID:295893: from db_amp
AS Monaco edge out Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling first leg to their Champions League quarter-final tie at the Westfalenstadion.

Kylian Mbappe has taken his tally for the season to 21 goals with another brace for AS Monaco, helping his side to a 3-2 away win over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

In the first competitive meeting between the two sides, played a little under 24 hours after the fixture was originally scheduled due to a security incident on Tuesday night, it was the young French striker who again stood out.

Mbappe won a first-half penalty, which Fabinho ultimately went on to miss, as well as scoring once in either half, but a late Shinji Kagawa strike did give Dortmund some hope heading into next week's return tie.

The home players were no doubt still feeling the effects of last night, failing to register a single attempt on target in a hugely underwhelming first-half display at the Westfalenstadion.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the scorer of a hat-trick last time out here against Benfica, came closest to registering for his side early on when making a trademark run in behind but failing to keep his subsequent shot on target.

Monaco had barely found their rhythm when awarded a penalty 17 minutes in - Sokratis Papastathopoulos adjudged to have brought down speedy forward Mbappe in the area - but Fabinho was unable to convert from the spot as he pulled his attempt wide of Roman Burki's right-hand post.

Monaco made the breakthrough just moments later, though, as Bernardo Silva carried the ball up the field and slipped it through for Thomas Lemar, who in turn spotted an offside Mbappe at the back post to bundle over the line.

It was then Kagawa's turn to squander a decent opening, diverting the ball wide of target when spotted in a good position by Matthias Ginter.

One crucial away goal soon became two for the visitors, this time after Sven Bender nodded a teasing Andrea Raggi cross past his own keeper on his first start of 2017.

The first half of a tie that many predicted to see many goals in provided just the one shot on target, and it was no great surprise to see home boss Thomas Tuchel turn to his bench at the interval.

On came Nuri Sahin and Christian Pulisic, the latter of whom was surprisingly overlooked from the off, with the gamble almost paying off immediately as an Ousmane Dembele free kick was curled narrowly wide.

Pulisic made an instant impact when introduced, twice getting the better of his man and picking out a teammate at the end of it, but Danijel Subasic was still not required in the opposition goal.

What appeared to be a potentially huge moment in the tie arrived shortly before the hour mark, though, as four of Dortmund's attacking players combined for a route back into the two-legged tie.

Aubameyang flicked Raphael Guerreiro's cross into the path of Kagawa, who in turn was able to get a touch to the ball for the otherwise quiet Dembele to help over the line from a couple of yards out.

Monaco, competing at this stage of the competition for the fourth time, were struggling more and more as the second period continued and it was simply a case of digging deep and holding on for the final whistle.

With both first-choice full-backs absent this evening, Raggi was being left badly exposed down Dortmund's right flank, but time and again BVB struggled to find the quality needed when inside the box.

For all Dortmund's dominance visiting striker Radamel Falcao had a glorious chance to add a third away goal, rounding Burki but sending his awkward shot over the crossbar with a man to beat on the line.

Mbappe did add his second of the night 11 minutes from time, though, pouncing on a slack Lukasz Piszczek pass and calmly tucking past Burki when clean through, though some hope was restored for Dortmund late on.

Only Barcelona have found the net more times that the German side in this season's Champions League, and they added another to their tally when Kagawa controlled the ball and swept home late on.

There was little between the teams on the night, but Mbappe's double - making him the youngest player to achieve that feat in a Champions League knockout game - proved the difference as Dortmund fell to a first home loss in 33 games.

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