Berlin, Oct 2
Borussia Dortmund extended its unbeaten streak across all competitions with a convincing 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao in their group stage clash at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.
The host entered the contest full of confidence after four straight league wins, and coach Niko Kovac rotated his lineup in five positions, including the return of top scorer Serhou Guirassy.
Despite the changes, Dortmund quickly found their rhythm and took control of proceedings. Athletic, struggling with form and missing star forward Nico Williams through injury, offered little in the opening stages.
Dortmund's early dominance was rewarded in the 28th minute when Karim Adeyemi's sharp delivery was converted by Daniel Svensson for his first Champions League goal. The German side pushed for more, with Niklas Sule testing from distance, while goalkeeper Gregor Kobel remained untroubled at the other end.