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| | | | | | | | | | FC Augsburg - Borussia Dortmund 0:0 (0:0) | |
| | Season 2011/2012, Matchday 25, 10.03.2012 18:30 |
| | |  | Matchreport |
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| | | | | | 0-0: BVB thwarted by the Augsburg defensive wall | | | | [10.03.] Borussia Dortmund´s triumphant winning run was halted today by promoted FC Augsburg who achieved a goalless draw, but momentum continues! The draw means that BVB remain unbeaten in 19 consecutive Bundesliga games equalling the club record set up in the 1991-92 season. | | | Boris Rupert reports from Augsburg
A sold-out 30,660 crowd in the SGL-Arena (amongst them 5,000 BVB fans) witnessed a first half when BVB gradually gained control but were unable to turn that dominance into goals whilst the home side focussed primarily on closing down the ball. To be honest, little changed after the break.
The Scenario:
With the leaders playing a team placed sixteenth we were looking at a game where the home team were the fifth worst home team against the best away team. Jos Luhukay, the home team coach, suggested ahead of the game (having seen his side take 11 of 15 home points from the latest fixtures) that he "believed in footballing miracles!" Set against that BVB had won the reverse fixture 4-1 and Klopp was keen to remark that, "Augsburg have made huge progress since that game."
 | | Sebastian Kehl |
Personnel Matters:
Götze remained unavailable and Klopp also had to do without da Silva and Barrios who were both not well enough to be considered. With Kehl available again after suspension this meant that BVB were effectively able to play the "2011" version of their team for the fifth time this year. Callsen-Bracker, Moravek, de Jong, Bah and Gogia were all missing for the home side.
Tactics:
The home side concentrated mainly on defence. Hain played alone up front in what was nominally a 4-1-4-1 set up but the main focus was on defence. Kagawa, therefore, was man-marked by Hosogai and so the game pretty much revolved around not allowing Dortmund a way through to goal.
 | | Tough day at the office for Robert Lewandowski. |
The Game and Analysis:
Augsburg coach Luhukay was convinced, going into the game, that "everything has to be perfect for us to be able to beat BVB." He thus sent out his team to close down BVB with passion and yellow cards. The game became a war and so it was that Koo and Sankoh, then Subotic and Kehl saw yellow.
The half-time whistle went and the statistics showed that BVB had enjoyed domination and had eight shots on goal compared to the home side´s one. However, Hummels´ header on 40 minutes was the only proper effort on goal and that was easily dealt with by Langkamp, backing up his ´keeper on the line. Michael Zorc commented that BVB were "without serenity." Amazingly, since their only plan seemed to be defending their own goal, Augsburg created a couple of chances when first Oehrl tested Weidenfeller with a header on 19 minutes, and then a near own-goal involving Hummels whistled by the post four minutes later.
 | | Kuba speeds away from Bellinghausen. |
Immediately after the re-start Baier played in Bellinghausen only to be denied by Weidenfeller´s fine reflexes turning the ball wide for a corner. Generally, though, the game was a stale-mate save for a couple of occasions when first Lewandowski, and then, more spectacularly, Großkreutz were denied by the home ´keeper, Jentzsch.
Whilst Klopp tried to give the game new impetus with the introduction of Leitner and Perisic for Bender and Kagawa, then Gündogan for Kuba, the game was always going to end as a draw courtesy of the battling efforts of the home side.
Teams & Goals
Bundesliga, Matchday 25
FC AUGSBURG - BORUSSIA DORTMUND 0-0 (0-0)
FC Augsburg: Jentzsch - Verhaegh, Sankoh, Langkamp, Ostrzolek - Hosogai - Koo, Baier, Oehrl, Bellinghausen - Hain
Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller - Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer - Bender, Kehl - Kuba, Kagawa, Großkreutz - Lewandowski
Substitutions: 75. Mölders for Hain, 79. Ndjeng for Koo, 89. Sinkala for Bellinghausen - 70. Leitner and Perisic for Bender and Kagawa, 86. Gündogan for Kuba
Corners: 2-5 (HT 1-2), Chances: 3-2 (2-1).
Referee: Kircher (Rottenburg/Württ.), Yellow Cards: Koo, Sankoh - Subotic, Kehl
Attendance: 30.660 (sold out). Weather: cloudy, 6 degrees
Prospects:
BVB take on Werder Bremen in the sold out Signal Iduna Park this coming Saturday at 1530 CET.
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