Hakimi and Brandt inspire famous Borussia Dortmund comeback

Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Inter Milan
(Hakimi 51' 77', Brandt 64' - Martinez 5', Vecino 40')
Westfalenstadion, Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund pulled off a famous Champions League victory, coming back from 0-2 down to beat Inter Milan 3-2 in a furious second half at the Westfalenstadion.

After goals from Lautaro Martinez and Matias Vecino had given the Italian visitors a deserved two-goal half-time lead, the Black and Yellows emerged revitalized for the second half and turned the game around thanks to Julian Brandt and Achraf Hakimi. 

The young Moroccan was the stand-out player for Dortmund, tapping home from close range to make it 1-2 at the start of the second half and firing home the winner with just over ten minutes remaining. 

In between, Brandt had capped an impressive personal performance with an equalizer which owned much to Paco Alcacer who, with his first touch after coming on as a substitute, tipped an Inter thrown-in into Brandt's path, before the young German international placed his shot into the far corner.

"It feels really good," said Brandt post-match. "We all knew how important this game was so then when you concede two goals, it's bitter. But then to come back like that is absolute madness!"

Just as against Wolfsburg at the weekend, BVB were unconvincing in the first half - profligate up front and easily opened up at the back. In the Bundesliga, they can get away with that, but not against a team second in Serie A. 

It took just five minutes for Lautaro Martinez to get in behind Manuel Akanji, out-pace Mats Hummels, cut past Julian Weigl and smash home past Roman Bürki. 

And five minutes before the break, Dortmund were opened up again. Marcelo Brozovic opened up the pitch with a clever dribble, Martinez took over and switched the play to Antonio Candreva who cut back and the onrushing Vecino stroked home. 

It was precisely the clinical movement and finishing that Dortmund had failed to exhibit themselves in the first half. 

"We didn't play badly in the first half, not at all," insisted coach Lucien Favre. "We had our chances but didn't take them, whereas Inter took theirs. But we knew that if we scored one, we'd be OK."

Indeed, it was a different team which emerged after the break and which, thanks to two outstanding performances from Brandt and Hakimi, turned the game around for a famous win which puts Dortmund in a strong position in Group F. 

"The key was that we pressed more aggressively to prevent the counter-attacks," analyzed Favre. "It was a great game, fantastic to watch!"

Dortmund travel to Barcelona for another cracker on matchday five, but first up is a trip to Bayern Munich on Saturday. 

As it happened: re-live the action below:

FULL-TIME: Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Inter Milan
(Hakimi 51' 77', Brandt 64' - Martinez 5', Vecino 40')

90+4 And that's it! A famous Champions League comeback from Borussia Dortmund!

90+2' Even the 92nd minute, Hakimi is still chasing back and making crunching challenges in the center of midfield. What a performance from the young Moroccan. Man of the match, as far as DW is concerned!

90+1 Four minutes of injury time... 

90' What a chance for Inter! Substitute Sensi weaves his way into the box and has space to get a shot away. Fortunately for Dortmund, it's not well struck and is straight at Bürki, who gathers. But Lucien Favre is raging on the sideline - or rather on the wing, the Swiss coach having raced onto the pitch gesticulating widly and doing his best impression of his opposite number Antonio Conte.

84' For what feels like first time this half, Inter Milan come forward with but a speculative cross is easily caught by Bürki. 

81' A quick glance at the Group F table as it stands:

1. Barcelona - 8pts
2. Dortmund - 7pts
--------
3. Inter Milan - 4pts
4. Slavia Prague - 2pts

As it stands, Dortmund in a strong position with Slavia Prague (h) and Barcelona (a) to come.

77' GOAL! Dortmund 3-2 Inter (Hakimi)
IT'S BEEN COMING! And it's no surprise it's Achraf Hakimi - Dortmund's best player this evening, along with Julian Brandt. The Moroccan plays a swift one-two with Jadon Sancho and fires home from inside the box, and Dortmund lead!

77' Hakimi cuts back low from the right wing but Alcacer is just beaten to it and Inter survive.

74' Inter subs (all three of them in the last ten minutes):
- Lazaro for Biraghi
- Sensi for Vecino
- Politano for Lukaku

68' SO CLOSE! Another inch-perfect cross from Brandt and Witsel heads just wide! The Belgian waves his arms for even more noise and chants of "BVB!" echo back and forth across the Westfalenstadion.

64' GOAL! Dortmund 2-2 Inter (Brandt)
Incredible! Straight from the bench, Alcacer uses his first touch to intercept an Inter thrown-in straight into the path of Brandt, who dribbles into the box from the left and makes it 2-2! An instant impact from Alcacer!

64' Dortmund sub: Mario Götze is replaced by Paco Alcacer

63' Paco Alcacer is warming up ... 

61' Goalmouth scramble! Brandt crosses into the six-yard boy and Witsel is there - but so is the defender. After a brief bit of ping-pong, Inter clear. It's been all Dortmund since half-time but they really need to start taking more of these chances.

55' Close! Hazard sends in an inswinging cross from the right with his left foot and Witsel is only inches away from making contact at the back post. 

54' Sancho stings the goalkeeper's hands with an angled drive, before Dortmund win a string of corners in front of a bouncing Yellow Wall. It's getting louder and louder ... 

51' GOAL! Dortmund 1-2 Inter (Hakimi)
Dortmund are rewarded for their positive start to the second half! After the corner is cleared, Brandt launches a second wave - and Dortmund intelligently make use of the extra men they have forward from the corner. Brandt finds Hummels on the edge of the box and the center back squares it on to Hazard who plays vertically into Götze. Götze crosses low and Hakimi taps it home. Lovely move! Game on!

50' The first chance of the half for Dortmund. Brandt in the box turns and lays it off to Götze, who lays it off to Hakimi, who wins a corner, which is cleared ... for now ... 

KICK-OFF!
We're underway in the second half. Can BVB get back into this game? And can they keep it tight at the back?

HALF-TIME: Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Inter Milan

45+2' Götze chips into the path of Hazard but Handanovic just beats him to it!

45+1' Close! Witsel fires a snap shot just wide with Handanovic beaten. 

45' Sancho almost pulls one back! Schulz cuts back and the Englishman takes one touch to control and another to shoot - but Handanovic reacts brilliantly to save at point-blank range.

40' GOAL! Dortmund 0-2 Inter (Vecino)
From a Dortmund point of view: disastrous. From an Inter point of view: brilliant. Brozovic opens up the pitch with a clever dribble, Martinez takes over and switches the play to Candreva and exposes even more gaps. Candreva cuts back and the onrushing Vecino strokes it home. 

39' A spell of Inter possession draws whistles from the Dortmund fans. BVB try to break out with Brandt but he immediately loses the ball and the Inter pressure resumes.

35' Hazard's long-range effort is easily saved. 

34' Dortmund again dangerous down the right. Sancho plays the ball out to Hakimi who again crosses low but Handanovic gathers. BVB certainly having some joy down that side.

31' Hazard takes but a defender gets there ahead of Hummels and Dortmund have a corner ... Hazard takes that too and again it's cleared.

30' Another yellow card for Inter, this time for Skriniar for bringing down Hakimi after the Moroccan skins him on the right-wing. Free-kick BVB in a good position.

29' The corner goes long but Biraghi knocks it back in where Lukaku tries to turn but can't bring the ball under control, and Dortmund clear.

29' Inter win a corner over on the right after Candreva's cross is deflected behind.

26' Hazard attempts to turn in the Inter box but he's surrounded by defenders and Inter clear. 

23' Vecino turns and finds Lukaku with a brilliant through-ball - well, it would have been brilliant had Lukaku not been offside before striking his shot against the post. 

21' Skriniar crosses from the left for Inter but neither Lukaku nor Martinez can make anything of it.

18' Huge chance for Dortmund! After a cross-field ball from Brandt, Hakimi crosses low into Götze who controls and turns on the penalty spot but shoots straight at Handanovic who saves well. 

17' ... it's cleared easily and Inter counter-attack. Barella chips the ball into the box looking for Martinez but Weigl slides in to direct it back to Bürki, who clears. End to end stuff!

16' Hakimi wins a corner for Dortmund down on the right ...

13' Dortmund come forward again, this time with Brandt. With Inter pressing high, there are gaps in behind - but can BVB exploit them?

11' Sancho tries to inject some of his own pace into the game with a driving run through midfield but he has no options ahead of him and gestures to say as much! He has help from Hakimi on the overlap, but his cross is dealt with. 

8' An electric start from the Italians who are pressing aggressively and not giving Dortmund any time to breathe. Weigl is quickly closed down on the half-way line but, fortunately for him, the referee blows for a foul. 

5' GOAL! Dortmund 0-1 Inter (Martinez)
Lautaro Martinez out-paces Mats Hummels down the Dortmund left and powers into the box. He has Lukaku with him but opts to go it alone, cutting inside past Weigl and finishing past Bürki in front of a stunned Südtribüne. 

1' An early yellow card for Inter as Biraghi takes out Hakimi on the right hand side.

KICK-OFF! 

A spectacular choreography celebrating the 20th anniversary of the the "Desperados" - the first BVB ultra group - and we're off! Dortmund in yellow and black, Inter in a sky blue away strip.

FT: Barcelona 0-0 Slavia Prague

A shock result in the other game in Group F, as Barcelona are held to a goalless draw by underdogs Slavia Prague. The result means that a win for either Dortmund or Inter tonight would take them to within one point of the Catalans. Top spot is still all to play for!

Inter Milan

Former Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has led his current team to second in Serie A this season, one point behind leaders Juventus - the only team to have beaten them in the league so far. 

After beating Dortmund in the San Siro two weeks ago, Inter were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Parma but have since recorded consecutive 2-1 away wins at Brescia and Bologna. 

Only Atalanta have scored more goals than Inter in Serie A so far, with Romelu Lukaku (nine) and Lautaro Martinez (five) contributing 14 of the Nerazzurri's 24 league goals. Both start in Dortmund tonight at the head of an offensive 3-1-4-2 formation. 

Inter XI: Handanovic - Skriniar, de Vrij, Godin - Brozovic - Biraghi, Barella, Vecino, Candreva - Martinez, Lukaku

Julian Brandt - a man with a plan

The 23-year-old German international knows that a win tonight would be a huge step, and he has a plan to ensure victory: "We need to move the ball forward in as few touches as possible and let the ball do the work," he says. "I think out pace up front gives us an advantage."

We shall see ... 

Borussia Dortmund team news:

Captain Marco Reus is missing for the hosts after suffering a foot injury in Saturday's 3-0 win over Wolfsburg. He didn't train on Monday and will watch from the stands tonight. He is replaced in the starting XI by Mario Götze.

Elsewhere, coach Lucien Favre makes four more changes: Roman Bürki returns in goal in place of Marwin Hitz, and Nico Schulz, Axel Witsel and Jadon Sancho all start ahead of Lukasz Piszczek, Raphael Guerreiro and Mahmoud Dahoud, who all drop to the bench - where Paco Alcacer also sits. 

BVB XI: Bürki - Hakimi, Akanji, Hummels, Piszczek - Sancho, Witsel, Weigl, Hazard - Götze, Brandt

DW's Matt Pearson is in Dortmund tonight, so give him a follow on Twitter for the inside track! 

GUTEN ABEND! Welcome to DW's live coverage of Borussia Dortmund's Champions League Group F game against Inter Milan
Dortmund slipped to a deserved 0-2 defeat in the San Siro two weeks agoto leave them third in Group F. With Barcelona at home to in a good position to win the group, it's vital that the Black and Yellows avoid defeat tonight as they battle Inter for second place.