by Oliver Trust

BERLIN, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Jubilation filled the Dortmund arena on Wednesday evening following Borussia Dortmund's 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semifinals.

The win not only keeps Dortmund's hopes alive for reaching the final at Wembley on June 1, but also secures an additional spot for Germany in next season's Champions League due to UEFA's expansion of the tournament to 36 teams.

These so-called "European Performance Spots" reward leagues for their teams' success in UEFA competitions.

Dortmund's triumph ensures Germany's fifth entry in the upcoming Champions League, positioning it just behind Italy in terms of national allocations. This achievement comes as a significant boost, especially given that both Dortmund and Bayern Munich have reached the semifinals this year.

"Our performance helps us to make up for a poor league season," German international defender Mats Hummels stated while mentioning the club's new goal "to make it into the final now as we have harvested a slight advantage but face an extremely hard nut to crack. But we have a tempting goal now."

The possibility of a 2013 Champions League final rematch against Bayern Munich, who are set to face Real Madrid in the semifinals, keeps fans excited. Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic, reflecting on the match, described it as "one of our best games," while also noting, "We are only at halftime," with the crucial second leg in Paris looming next week.

Despite a disappointing domestic season, as noted by CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, Dortmund has excelled on the international stage. The enthusiastic support from over 80,000 fans at the arena contributed significantly to the team's performance, with Niclas Fullkrug scoring the decisive goal in the 36th minute - his third of this season's Champions League campaign.

The focus remains firmly on the upcoming challenges, according to Terzic. "Next week we face a new challenge and have to not only repeat our performance but add some additional resilience," Terzic said.

Meanwhile, the apparent upswing of winger Jadon Sancho is triggering optimism. The 24-year-old on-loan striker from Manchester United turned into one of the driving forces for Borussia.

With 11 successful sprint dribbles (17 in total), the forward helped keep speed and pressure in Dortmund's game at a high level.

Sports magazine Kicker named the Englishman as one of the team's best.

"We know about the chance we have, but we need to keep a clear head and next week get passion and the ability to suffer on the pitch," Terzic stated. Enditem

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