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Borussia Dortmund edge Villarreal as Serhou Guirassy and Fabio Silva shine

Borussia Dortmund started their Champions League group stage with a thrilling victory over Villarreal as impact substitute Fabio Silva proved decisive late in the match.

Written by the BettingEdgeHub desk, 9 September 2026

Borussia Dortmund secured a 3, 2 victory over Villarreal at Signal Iduna Park to open their Champions League campaign with three points. A Renato Veiga own goal put Dortmund ahead early in the second half before Santiago Mourino equalised for the Spanish side. Serhou Guirassy then restored the lead following a setup from Fabio Silva before adding a penalty to seal the win. Guirassy also scored an own goal in stoppage time, but Dortmund held on to secure all three points.

Strong home record supports Dortmund odds

Dortmund have now won their opening home match in seven of their last nine Champions League campaigns. They remain undefeated across those nine fixtures, winning seven and drawing two. This strong record at Signal Iduna Park keeps their odds short for future home matches in Europe. Punters backing Dortmund at home in the group stage continue to see reliable returns based on this long term trend.

Guirassy celebrated his 100th appearance for the club in dramatic fashion by scoring twice and netting an own goal. He became the first player in Champions League history to score multiple goals and an own goal in a single match. Since the 2024 2025 season, only Harry Kane with 25 goals and Kylian Mbappe with 23 have scored more Champions League goals than Guirassy with 19. His total of 21 European goals places him fifth among African players, behind Mohamed Salah, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o, and Sadio Mane.

Fabio Silva boosts live betting value

Fabio Silva made an immediate impact after entering the match in the 75th minute as a substitute. He needed just five minutes to set up Guirassy for a goal, while also recording three shots on target and four touches in the opposition penalty area. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel praised Silva after the match, stating that the forward brings great energy and poses a serious threat. Silva looks like a sharp option for in play substitute markets and late goal props in upcoming fixtures.

What it means for a bet

Guirassy will see his anytime goalscorer odds shorten further, while Silva offers growing appeal in live substitute goal markets.

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