Guirassy’s hat-trick not enough for Dortmund

DORTMUND, Germany (AP):

Serhou Guirassy scored a hat-trick and still ended up on the losing side as Borussia Dortmund's 3-1 win over Barcelona wasn't enough to prevent a 5-3 aggregate loss to Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals yesterday.

After being swept aside 4-0 in the first leg of the quarter-final, Dortmund had nothing to lose and attacked Barcelona from the start, leaving the visitors off-balance.

Guirassy had missed chances in the first leg, and spurned a couple more early in yesterday's game, but made no mistake from the penalty spot in the 11th minute after Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny collided with Pascal Gross.

Guirassy's header made it 2-0 in the 49th minute before an own goal by Ramy Bensebaini made Dortmund's task even harder. Bensebaini's own goal was a double disappointment because he'd been crucial in the comeback attempt, assisting Guirassy's second goal shortly before.

Guirassy completed his hat-trick with a powerful close-range shot in the 76th, in the process becoming the Champions League's top scorer this season on 13 goals.

It gave Dortmund fresh hope of completing what would have been one of the all-time great Champions League comebacks, but Barcelona held on to progress.

Barcelona face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals. In Tuesday's other game, Paris Saint-Germain reached the semi-finals with a 5-4 aggregate win over Aston Villa despite losing the second leg 3-2.

STREAKS BROKEN

Yesterday's game marked Barcelona's first loss in all competitions since December, and their first Champions League loss since September. Coach Hansi Flick had won all seven of his previous games against Dortmund while in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Dortmund may have to wait a while until the Champions League anthem plays at their stadium again.

Last year's Champions League runners-up are eighth in the Bundesliga with five games remaining, and six points off the four Champions League qualifying places.