The 30-year-old broke the deadlock early on to give Borussia Dortmund the perfect platform to take control, but the Azerbaijani side grew into the contest and deservedly drew level courtesy of Aden McCarthy just before the break.

Normal service was resumed after the break though as Dortmund’s experience shone through, with Guirassy applying a poacher’s finish from close range to restore the visitors’ lead and move him to the top of the UEFA Champions League scoring charts.

It was another valiant display from the tournament debutants, who ultimately came up short despite creating several chances throughout, and they have plenty to build on ahead of their trip to Viking next up.

Story of the match

Heading into the game with identical records in their opening two, Valdas Dambrauskas named an unchanged side from the one which beat Slavia Prague last week, while there were five alterations for the visitors from their lacklustre defeat at Bodø/Glimt.

Dortmund were served an early scare with just three minutes on the clock as Kaheem Parris was found in acres of space on the left flank and managed to navigate past Nico Schlotterbeck, but the Jamaican international was unable to get his shot away.

Playing in Azerbaijan for the first time since locking horns with Qarabag in 2010, Fábio Silva was the German side’s most potent threat in the opening exchanges. He brought Stas Pokatilov into action with two routine stops, the first coming from close range with the second coming in a speculative effort from distance.

It didn’t take long for the pressure to pay off as they drew first blood on the ten-minute mark. Silva and Carney Chukwuemeka combined to good effect and the Chelsea loanee provided for Felix Nmecha on the edge of the box, whose strike was parried into the path of Guirassy who snaffled up the rebound.

Notching his third goal of the season in Europe’s premier competition, the Guinea international made the most of Pokatilov’s spill to maintain his fine start to the campaign.

Sabah were far from out of this one though and once again, it was down the left via Parris where they nearly found a route to goal as he cut the ball back for Joy-Lance Mickels, only for Schlotterbeck to intervene with a vital block.

Sabah take control

That same combination came agonisingly close to paying dividends again just before the half-hour mark. Parris weaved his way through a wall of yellow shirts before threading through Mickels who dispatched with composure and confidence, but the 32-year-old was ruled offside.

Responding admirably to going behind early on, the hosts deservedly got on level terms on 39 minutes as Tymoteusz Puchacz’s pinpoint delivery found the head of McCarthy who angled in his header at the back post.

Their 4-0 curtain-raiser defeat at Manchester United had felt more like a tourist trip, with little to suggest they belonged on the same stage, but Sabah were firmly in control here as Gregor Kobel was called upon moments later to deny Veljko Simic on the counter.

Guirassy restores Dortmund's lead

At the turn of the half, the pendulum firmly swung back in Niko Kovac’s side’s favour as they seized control of the game. Guirassy had been relatively quiet following his opener, but was on hand to poke home Joey Veerman’s cross at the back post with 53 minutes on the clock.

Having had a good opportunity to bag his hat-trick only moments later, the ex-Rennes forward nearly profited off of excellent work from Chukwuemeka who found his way into the box with tricky feet before squaring it, but McCarthy denied him from testing Pokatilov.

Sabah threw bodies forward in the closing stages in search of a leveller, with Orphe Mbina and Simic both going close, as Dortmund looked to ensure they would head back to western Germany with three points.

Kovac shuffled his pack in search of fresh impetus and one of his changes nearly proved inspired as Marcel Sabitzer saw his strike deflected and go out for a corner, but they held on for a valuable three points.