Serhou Guirassy scored twice as Borussia Dortmund beat Sabah 2-1 in Baku on Tuesday night in the Champions League. Aden McCarthy briefly levelled for the hosts before half-time, but Joey Veerman’s cross set up Guirassy’s winner and lifted Dortmund to six points from three games.
Baku, Azerbaijan: Dortmund came to the Caspian shore with a point to prove. Six days earlier they had lost 1-0 at Bodø/Glimt, and Niko Kovač answered by bringing Fábio Silva, Carney Chukwuemeka, Joey Veerman and Ramy Bensebaini into his side. The reshuffle paid off inside ten minutes.
A rebound settles the nerves
Dortmund struck first in the 10th minute. Felix Nmecha’s shot was parried by Sabah goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov, and the ball ran straight into the path of Guirassy, who tapped in from close range. It was the kind of finish strikers live for: no time to think, no room to miss.
Sabah, who had beaten Slavia Praha 2-0 in Baku on the previous matchday, did not fold. Pokatilov later made a double save to deny Veerman and Chukwuemeka, keeping the hosts in touch.
McCarthy answers from a set piece
The equaliser arrived in the 39th minute. Tymoteusz Puchacz sent a free-kick into the box and McCarthy rose to head it home, sending the teams in level at 1-1. An Azerbaijani club that had lost 4-0 at Manchester United on the opening night was suddenly within reach of a famous point.
Veerman’s cross, Guirassy’s second
Dortmund restored their lead eight minutes into the second half. Veerman delivered a cross to the back post and Guirassy finished first time for his second of the night. He might have had a hat-trick, but McCarthy blocked another Guirassy effort at point-blank range.
What it means
Dortmund now have six points from three league-phase matches, having opened with a 3-2 home win over Villarreal before the defeat in Norway. Next up is a home game against Real Betis on 4 November, followed by a trip to Arsenal on 24 November. Sabah stay on three points and travel to Viking on 4 November before hosting Barcelona on 25 November.
Result: Sabah 1, Borussia Dortmund 2 (half-time 1-1), UEFA Champions League league phase, matchday 3, Baku Olympic Stadium, Baku, Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
Scorers: Guirassy 10′, 53′ (Dortmund); McCarthy 39′ (Sabah).
