Serhou Guirassy Double Ends Dortmund's Winless Run as Kovac's Side Edge Sabah FK in Baku

Serhou Guirassy's two goals in Baku ended Borussia Dortmund's three-match winless sequence and delivered a second Champions League victory of the campaign, as Niko Kovac's side held on for a 2-1 win over Sabah FK on Tuesday evening.

Dortmund had entered the encounter without a win in three matches. They had surrendered a two-goal advantage in a 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen before suffering disappointing results on the road — a 1-0 Champions League defeat at Bodø/Glimt and a goalless Bundesliga draw at Union Berlin.

A competitive contest in Azerbaijan

Guirassy's brace proved decisive, but the match was far from comfortable. Despite Dortmund creating numerous opportunities, Sabah equalised shortly before halftime and almost struck again in the closing stages. Dortmund ultimately protected their narrow lead to secure the points.

The victory capped a demanding stretch for the squad, whose itinerary had taken them from northern Norway to Berlin and then Azerbaijan in the space of just seven days.

Relief after a testing week

Midfielder Joey Veerman, who revealed he had spent just 12 hours at home with his family between fixtures, summed up the mood in the mixed zone.

"Not the best week," the Dutch international said. "To end it with a win is obviously very nice."

Sporting director Nils-Ole Book echoed that sense of relief. "That makes us all the more happy that we picked up the three points," he told reporters. "The trip isn't over just yet. We still have to ensure that the players make it home safely and have time to regenerate. After that, I'll be very glad when we play at home again."

Attention now turns back to the Bundesliga, with Dortmund scheduled to host Eintracht Frankfurt in Saturday evening's encounter at Signal Iduna Park — a welcome return to familiar surroundings after three successive away fixtures.