Mats Hummels was Borussia Dortmund's hero on Tuesday, as his goal sent the Bundesliga side into the Champions League final.
Hummels' second-half header was the difference as BVB won 1-0 on the night against Paris Saint-Germain in the French capital, and a 2-0 win on aggregate.
The average age of PSG's starting XI was 24 years and 157 days, which was the youngest starting XI to be named in a Champions League semi-final since Arsenal in May 2009.
Yet it was a veteran campaigner in Hummels who was decisive.
His excellent header was the centre-back's first goal in the Champions League for Dortmund since February 2013.
At the age of 35 years and 143 days, Hummels became the third oldest player to score a Champions League semi-final goal, after Ryan Giggs in 2010-11 (37y 148d) and Edin Dzeko last season (37y 54d).
It was only his fifth goal in the competition, and Hummels' first in 42 games, since he netted for Bayern Munich against Ajax in October 2018.
PSG will ultimately rue the fine margins as their Champions League curse continues.
Kylian Mbappe had five shots, but could not wield his usual influence on proceedings, other than when he hit the crossbar - one of four PSG attempts that struck the woodwork.
Indeed, PSG hit the frame of the goal 14 times throughout their campaign. This is the most on record (since 2003-04) by any team in a single season. Six of these came in this tie.
PSG amassed 3.2 expected goals. This was just the fourth Champions League game on record (since 2010-11) in which a team managed at least 3.0 xG but has failed to score.
This is just the second time a team has won both legs of a Champions League semi-final tie by a 1-0 scoreline – Dortmund were also the other occasion, against Manchester United in 1996-97.
Dortmund have now reached the Champions League final for the third time. The last time they did so was also the last time the showpiece was played at Wembley Stadium (2013), when they lost to Bayern, who they could yet meet again this time around.
CF Montreal v D.C. United: Courtois pleased to 'stop the bleeding'
Laurent Courtois was pleased to see CF Montreal "stop the bleeding" with Saturday's goalless draw against Nashville SC, but he knows more is needed when they host D.C. United on Wednesday.
Montreal are winless in their last nine matches across all competitions (four draws, five losses) and sit 13th of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.
They did at least snap a four-game losing streak with that stalemate, and Courtois wants them to use that result as a platform.
"I heard a couple of guys talking about 'stopping the bleeding' and I hate it, but it's the reality of the moment," said Courtois.
"We're happy in the sense that we were able to get back to our standards of commitment and competitiveness, but we know that we need more at home, so we have to get back to work."
D.C. were also held to a draw last time out as their own winless run stretched to three matches, being pegged back in a 1-1 home tie with the Chicago Fire.
Coach Troy Lesesne was less than pleased with his team's performance in that match, saying: "In the end, we were fortunate to get a point out of that, and that's not good enough.
"Maybe there wasn't enough service. I think it was to do with how we went out.
"In the first half you could see our identity by the way we went out, but you could not see that in the second half."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
CF Montreal – Josef Martinez
Martinez has scored eight regular-season goals against D.C. United, equalling the most he has scored against any opponent in his MLS career (also eight versus the New England Revolution and Orlando City).
D.C. United – Christian Benteke
D.C. have won 347 aerial duels this season, over 100 more than any other MLS team and almost three times as many as Montreal.
Montreal have won 122 aerial duels this year, the second-fewest in MLS and 42 fewer than Benteke alone (164).
MATCH PREDICTION – CF MONTREAL WIN
D.C. have won two straight matches against Montreal in all competitions, but the only three-game winning streak achieved by either team against the other came in 2016-17 (three victories for Montreal).
Montreal's nine-match winless run is their joint-longest across all competitions since they joined MLS in 2012 (also nine in 2013-14).
However, D.C. have failed to win any of their last three matches (one draw, two losses) and have only won one of their last 13 on the road (seven draws, five defeats).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
CF Montreal – 46.9%
D.C. United – 25.7%
Draw – 27.4%
Terzic: Dortmund ready to snap Madrid's perfect Champions League final run
Edin Terzic believes Borussia Dortmund can break Real Madrid's winning run in Champions League finals when they meet in the showcase at Wembley on Saturday.
Madrid have won all eight finals they have played in since the Champions League replaced the European Cup in 1992, while they have also won five Champions League titles in the past 10 seasons for a total of 14 European crowns.
Terzic said records were there to be broken, but Dortmund would need to perform at the highest level.
"We have to have the belief that we can achieve big things," Terzic told a press conference. "We have to invest everything to bring the trophy back to Dortmund. It has been a long time."
Dortmund won the competition in 1997 and reached the final again in 2013, though they lost to Bayern Munich in an all-German showdown.
"The most important thing is if you want to win the Champions League you have to beat the champions," Terzic said. "We now face the absolute champions.
"They have had this experience 14 times, won it five times in the past 10 years. But our aim is always to break it down to one game.
"Eight Champions League finals and they never lost. But what matters is not what happened in the previous eight. What matters is only the next one. It is time to break that run."
Dortmund finished fifth in the Bundesliga this season, narrowly securing their Champions League spot for next season. In 2023, they had been title contenders, narrowly missing out on the league trophy on the final matchday.
Terzic said that bitter experience a year ago, however, contributed to their success this season.
"I had said it at the time that I would have done without this chapter of my life, but this day was from that point part of our road to success," he said.
"Now we travel to London with the same fans who, a year ago, after that bitter match [on the final Bundesliga matchday], kept supporting us and singing for hours. It is time to give something back, and we will have the chance to hopefully celebrate together."
Owen gives Bellingham 'massive chance' of Ballon d'Or success
Michael Owen believes Jude Bellingham has a "massive chance" of winning the Ballon d'Or after a stand-out debut season at Real Madrid.
Los Blancos won their 36th LaLiga title, losing just one of their league games while finishing 10 points clear of second-place Barcelona.
Bellingham ended the league campaign as Madrid’s top-scorer, netting 19 LaLiga goals and added another four in the Champions League to help them on their way to the final.
The attacking-midfielder has also created more chances under pressure (19) than any other midfielder in the Champions League, with four of those resulting in an assist for a Madrid teammate.
Bellingham is due to join up with England for Euro 2024 following the Champions League final as the Three Lions aim to win their first major trophy since 1966.
Bellingham is among the favourites to get his hands on the Ballon d'Or and would be the first Englishman to win it since Owen himself in 2001.
"The Ballon d'Or comes to players who have an exceptional season, not only personally, but who have had a season where they have won something or multiple titles," Owen told TNT Sports.
"If Jude Bellingham goes and wins LaLiga, which he already has done, as well as the Champions League all while being one of the stars of the show in that team, then he has got to be in the conversation.
"A lot will depend on Euro 2024 with England. If he has a good tournament and England go far, then you could rightly say that he has a massive chance."
Bellingham will face former club Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Saturday as Madrid aim to lift a record-extending 15th title in the European Cup.
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