Soccer Football - Champions League - Borussia Dortmund v SK Sturm Graz - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany - November 5, 2024 Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in action with SK Sturm Graz's Tochi Chukwuani REUTERS/Leon Kuegeler
DORTMUND, Germany (Reuters) -Borussia Dortmund substitute Donyell Malen scored in the 85th minute for a 1-0 home victory over Sturm Graz in the Champions League on Tuesday that made it three wins from four matches.
The Dutch striker, who has spent a lot of time on the bench this season with speculation swirling about his future at the club, had come on in the 67th minute.
He intercepted a ball in the Austrians' half, played a one-two with Serhou Guirassy and finished in the box with a well-taken shot that puts Dortmund in fourth place.
The result sees Dortmund, last year's finalists who next play Dinamo Zagreb on Nov. 27, bounce back following their 5-2 loss at holders Real Madrid on the previous matchday.
"A very important win," coach Nuri Sahin told a press conference. "It was a deserved win even if we scored late. We controlled the game for the most time.
"We stayed clear. I thought it would happen earlier (the goal). But even though we scored a late goal it's nine points for us so far."
Dortmund, missing more than half a dozen players through injury, have now won their last two matches in all competitions after beating RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga last week only days after Dortmund's shock German Cup exit to VfL Wolfsburg.
The European top-flight has switched from a group stage to a league phase this season where 36 teams play eight matches each, with the top eight in the table progressing directly to the next round, while the next 16 teams enter a two-legged playoff.
Dortmund had spent much of the first half in possession and had their share of chances but lacked a clinical finish, Guirassy coming agonisingly close with a low drive in the 28th.
The visitors, who have now lost all four games, were dangerous on the break, however, and threatened through Jusuf Gazibegovic's curled effort.
Sturm's Mika Biereth also came close in the 71st but the Dane missed with a close-range header. Instead it was the Germans who scored to leave the Austrians still without a point and down in 32nd place.
"In my opinion, we had the better opportunities in the phase before they scored," said Sturm coach Christian Ilzer.
"But then the goal was scored and we were left empty-handed. That's very annoying. But we have to take the lead in a game like this."
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
