Good afternoon everyone. The Europa League has thrown up an early treat for us today as Qabala host Borussia Dortmund in Baku. It just sounds like a possible banana split for the German giants, doesn't it? Thomas Tuchel will hope not as his side look to tighten their grip on Group B.

Much of the build up to this game has been dominated by one man. Politics are not always top of the agenda in the Europa League, but tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia have encouraged Henrikh Mkhitaryan to stay at home this evening. The Armenian was believed to be uncomfortable making the trip and his club agreed.

"Mkhitaryan will not be travelling with us," Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told Bild. "We have looked at the situation and there is so much tension that we have to look at the players' interest here.

QABALA: Bezotosniy, Stanković, Vernydub, Ricardinho, Dashdemirov, Dodô, Gai, Meza, Zenjov, Pereyra, Antonov

DORTMUND: Weidenfeller, Park, Hummels, Papastathopoulos, Ginter, Weigl, J. Hofmann, Gündoğan, Reus, Kagawa, Aubameyang
SUBS: Bürki, Bender, Januzaj, Schmelzer, Castro, Ramos, Piszczek

Jonas Hofmann comes into the Dortmund side to replace Mkhitaryan, while Roman Weidenfeller continues to be given chances in this competition as first-choice goalkeeper Roman Burki drops to the bench. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Shinji Kagawa, Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan all start, but Adnan Januzaj is on the bench again.

Dortmund might be firm favourites tonight, but the signs suggest that this will not be easy. Qabala are the only side to reach the group stage after starting the competition in the first qualifying round, and they are unbeaten in five Europa League home games. Aleksey Antonov has scored four times this season. He'll be the one to watch in the Qabala attack.

Due to UEFA regulations, Qabala are forced to play their home games in the capital city, rather than on their own turf in the north of Azerbaijan.

Dortmund start the day top of Group C on four points from two games, while Qabala are bottom with just one point. PAOK and FC Krasnodar meet each other at 8.05pm, so a win for the visitors really would put the pressure on. They should be full of confidence after ending a four-game winless run by beating Mainz 05 2-0 on Friday night.

Just earning a place in the Europa League really shows how for Qabala have come as a club. With so much money invested into Azerbaijani football in recent years, they have climbed through the ranks very quickly. Established in 1995, they made their first appearance in the Azerbaijan Premier League eight years ago. They are bidding to become the first side from their country to reach the knockout stage.

PREDICTION: Roman Hryhorchuk's side face a huge test tonight. They will look to make themselves difficult to break down, but conceding an early goal would really hurt their chances of recording a famous upset. Tuchel has kept his key men in the side and they really should have too much attacking talent for the hosts. I'm going for a 4-1 Dortmund win.

Here we go then. The players are on their way out and we're just a few handshakes away from kickoff.

KICKOFF! Ivan Bebek blows the whistle and Dortmund get the game underway. Qabala are unlikely to take too many risks in the early stages of this game.

Dortmund are certainly on top early on. The hosts are forced to clear an early corner, but Tuchel's side already look comfortable in possession.

SAVES! Dortmund asking all of the questions. Dmytro Bezotosniy is forced to make a couple of stops from Ginter and Hofmann as the visitors search for an early lead. Comfortable for the Qabala goalkeeper.

It's been a quick start from Dortmund, but Tuchel will be desperate to find an early goal. The likes of Reus and Aubameyang need to get on the ball as often as possible.

CHANCE! Qablala probably should be in front. Ricardinho is given far too much room to deliver a cross for Zenjov, who can only head wide of the target. Big warning for the visiting defence.

CHANCE! It's Qabala on top now. The lively Zenjov races into the box, but his cross is cleared away. That came moments after Dodo miscued a shot from an offside position. Dortmund looking sloppy at the back.

Credit to Qabala. They are not settling for frustrating Dortmund, and they look threatening when the pace picks up in the final third of the pitch. Dortmund just beginning to calm things down with an extended spell in possession.

CLOSE! Qabala are agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock. Dodo races clear to collect a through ball and beats the onrushing Weidenfeller with a clever chipped effort. However, Ginter reacts quickest to clear the ball of the line. A goal looks to be coming, but surprisingly, it's the hosts who are the most threatening.

CHANCE! Dortmund now enjoy a spell on top at the other end. Ginter finds the space for a shot which is deflected behind, before Qabala have trouble clearing the danger from a corner. A second cross is delivered and Aubameyang heads just wide of the post.

Good play from Reus as he drifts out wide before beating a challenge and delivering a cross which Stankovic turns behind at the back post. Kagawa's corner is cleared away as Qabala continue to hold firm.

Qabala create another opening as Facundo Pereyra finds space on the edge of the box before unleashing a save which Weidenfeller collects with ease.

SAVE! Aubameyang is starting to get more involved now. He links up with Ginter, and unleashes a strike which Bezotosniy is forced to tip past the post. Ginger is looking dangerous when he gets forward from full-back. Better from Dortmund.

Dortmund push the hosts back for a few minutes, but a couple of set-piece deliveries are poor and Qabala clear once again. A cross from Kagawa threatens to find Aubameyang, who had seen an effort blocked a few moments ago, but Bezotosniy comes off his line to punch the ball away.

It's Dortmund who are just stepping up the tempo. Gundogan looks to be the key this afternoon. He's breaking free of players with some clever touches in midfield, but the visitors need him to find the likes of Reus and Kagawa more often.

Great wing play from Ginter once again as he finds the room to find Aubameyang, who is halted by Vernydub before he can unleash a shot.

Qabala have a good opportunity to cause problems for Dortmund when Papastathopoulos gives away a silly free kick, but Pereyra wastes the chance by drifting into an offside position in the box.

It might be the early kickoff, but I'm not sure there will be a better goal than this one tonight. Aubameyang produces a moment of magic to break the deadlock as he collects the ball from Reus, before using the space to find the top corner with a superb curling effort from around 25 yards. Unstoppable!

Can Qabala respond? They have done pretty well in the first half, but the hosts really needed to score the opening goal this afternoon. Dortmund are looking confident in possession now. Qabala must not concede again before the break.

His season just keeps on getting better! Aubameyang can do no wrong at the moment and he doubles his side's lead with a fine finish after linking up impressively with Kagawa. Bezotosniy had absolutely no chance of stopping that shot. It could be game over.

SAVE! Qabala threaten to produce an immediate response to falling 2-0 behind. Dodo has been dangerous with his runs from deep, but Weidenfeller is alert enough to make a comfortable save from a tame effort.

Dortmund are playing this game at their own pace now. Gundogan, as mentioned earlier, is running the show. Qabala are now finding it tough to retain possession. The break will come at a good time for them.

Reus threatens to find a third goal as he tricks his way past a couple of defenders, before being stopped by Stankovic. Just a minute of added time to be played. Qabala then come close to pulling one back when Stankovic volleys wide after being left unmarked at the free kick.

Tuchel may have been slightly concerned on the touchline when Qabala made a bright start and created a couple of openings, but it's his Dortmund side who reach the interval in complete control. Once again, Aubameyang has been the key man. A stunning finish from the edge of the box was followed by a fine piece of control and composure in the box for his second goal. His superb season continues as Dortmund look set to claim a comfortable win.

The social media guys are happy. It's not the first time they have seen Aubameyang steal the show this season!

This isn't over just yet, though. Stankovic came close to reducing the deficit when the Dortmund defence lost focus from a set-piece just before the interval. If it remains 2-0 for long, or if Dortmund extend their lead, it would not be a surprise to see Tuchel make changes. The likes of Reus, Aubameyang and Kagawa could be rested ahead of Sunday's game against Augsburg.

It certainly was a quietly impressive first half from the young midfielder.

RESTART! No changes from either boss just yet as the second half gets underway. Is there any way back for Qabala?

YELLOW CARD! Papastathopoulos picks up the first booking of the match for catching Pereyra with a trip from behind.

SAVE! Bright start to the second half from the hosts. Hofmann is forced to make one crucial interception from Ricardinho's clever through ball, before Zenjov tests Weidenfeller with a header after losing his marker at a corner.

Tuchel feels the need to come to the edge of his technical area to shout a few orders at his players. Dortmund haven't started the second half yet and they are sent another warning when Ricardinho threatens with a shot that drifts wide from the edge of the box.

Dortmund reached a milestone in the first half and they're beginning to see more of the ball now, too.

Qabala survive an extended spell on the back foot when Dortmund's decision to take a corner short ends with the hosts relieving the pressure. It looks like Hryhorchuk has urged his players to press the ball more often in the second half.

SAVE! Aubameyang comes close to completing his hat-trick. His confidence is clear as he goes for goal from close to 30 yards, but Bezotosniy reacts pretty well to make a comfortable save.

SUB! Qabala make the first change of the game as Pereyra comes off to be replaced by Samir Zargarov.

SUB! It's becoming a bit of a quiet spell as Dortmund continue to dictate the tempo. Tuchel decides it is time to rest some key men as Hummels and Gundogan are replaced by Sven Bender and Lukas Piszczek. Ginter should move into the centre of defence, with Piszczek coming on at right-back.

Piszczek gets involved immediately by charging down the right to deliver a cross which Vernydub does well to clear before Aubameyang can get to the ball.

Dortmund are showing us the way to manage a game away from home. Weigl is dominating possession in midfield and the visitors are refusing to be wasteful, despite not threatening too much in the second half. Reus manages to get on the ball beyond the Qabala defence, but he is correctly halted by the offside flag.

YELLOW CARD! Stankovic brings down Park on the wing and he can have no arguments with the booking after such a blatant foul. Tuchel then makes his third change as Marcel Schmelzer returns from injury to replace Park.

SAVE! Dortmund so close to a third goal. Bezotosniy pushes Hofmann's strike behind after the Dortmund midfielder was given far too much space to unleash the shot after collecting Ginter's long ball.

Dortmund add some gloss to the scoreline and it's Aubameyang once again as the Gabon international completes his hat-trick. An extended spell of Dortmund pressure brings the third goal as Bezotosniy keeps out Bender's volley, but can only watch as Aubameyang slots home the rebound from close range.

It hasn't been a great night for Qabala striker Antonov. He finally collects the ball in a position where he can take aim, but his miscued effort drifts well wide of the target.

Dortmund in complete control. Qabala have battled well, but they just haven't shown the quality needed in the final third of the pitch. The visitors continue to dominate possession in midfield.

SUB! Ermin Zec is on for the hosts as Zenjov's night comes to an end.

Good goalkeeping from Bezotosniy as he dives out to get a hand to a dangerous cross from Schmelzer. Dortmund keep the pressure on and the Qabala shot-stopper then makes a comfortable stop from Ginter's speculative effort.

YELLOW CARD! Bender collects a booking for a foul on Dodo in midfield. Qabala then use their final change to bring on Razhad Sadiqov for the ineffective Meza.

It would not be a surprise to see Dortmund add a fourth goal late on. Reus delivers a dangerous corner but Qabala clear the danger as the hosts continue to battle admirably.

YELLOW CARD! Zagarov chops down Schmelzer on the wing and picks up a booking.

Not much to report in the closing stages. Dortmund knocking the ball around comfortably but the pace is very, very slow. Qabala offering very little.

SAVE! Aubameyang is so close to a fourth goal. Poor defending gifts him too much space 10 yards from goal, but his finish lets him down as he fires straight at Bezotosniy.

The fourth official adds on three minutes.

Something for the hosts to celebrate. Dodo has arguably been Qabala's best performer this evening and he adds a consolation in stoppage time by slotting home from close range after Antonov's effort had been blocked.

It may not have been a clean sheet, but Dortmund pick up a comfortable win in Azerbaijan to move three points cleat at the top of Group C ahead of tonight's game between PAOK and FC Krasnodar. Despite some bright spells from Qabala, the hosts were unable to halt Dortmund and Aubameyang, who continued his excellent season with a hat-trick.

That's all from our live text coverage. Make sure you follow the rest of tonight's Europa League action with Sports Mole. Goodbye everyone.