Borussia Dortmund

+/-

-1

Season:
Match:


			VfL Wolfsburg - Borussia Dortmund 1:3 (0:3)

Season 2009/2010, Matchday 16, 13.12.2009 17:30

Matchreport

3-1 - BVB also beat the German champions - Barrios with a brace - Zidan picks up injury

[13.12.] Borussia Dortmund continued their climb up the standings with another impressive performance! On Sunday BVB registered a 3-1 (3-0) win at reigning champions VfL Wolfsburg and increased their unbeaten run to nine matches. Lucas Barrios with two goals and Patrick Owomoyela scored for Borussia who moved up to sixth place in the Bundesliga!

Boris Rupert reporting from Wolfsburg

30.000 fans at a sold-out Volkswagen-Arena - including more than 4.000 BVB supporters - saw a Dortmund side that made a furious start to the game. After only "09" minutes, BVB were 2-0 up, following a brace from Barrios (8/10 mins.). In the first half BVB turned in a commanding display and Owomoyela increased the lead to 3-0 in the 36th minute. Grafite pulled one back for Wolfsburg in the 55th minute, but the visitors still cruised to their third away victory of the season.

Scenario:
The eighth against the seventh: The reigning Bundesliga champions and last season´s sixth-placed side from Dortmund, who picked up 18 points from the last eight games - more than any other club in the league - were only separated by one place and one point. BVB also only lost the first of their seven away games and won their last match on the road in Hoffenheim. Wolfsburg´s home record was mediocre: Despite some good performances, they failed to win any of their last five competitive matches in front of their home fans. Another interesting stat: VfL scored at least two goals in each of their home games this season, and BVB scored in each of their away games exactly one goal (except in the 2-1 win at Hoffenheim).

The youngster Koch, Hornschuh, Götze

Personnel matters:
Wolfsburg had to do without Martins, one of their top players (shin surgery). They were also without Santana and Schindzielorz. With Kehl, Dede and Hajnal, BVB missed three key players. Feulner, Rangelov, Le Tallec and Öztekin were also not available. The youth players Götze, Stiepermann and Hornschuh were again included in the squad. And for a third straight game, Jürgen Klopp fielded the same side. Tinga was still not in the squad due to groin problems and was given an early holiday by Klopp.

Tactics:
The holders changed their system and opted for the same formation that Borussia Dortmund had in their previous seven games. So both teams started with 4-2-3-1, which demanded a lot of flexibility from both defences. But BVB looked far more comfortable with this formation than VfL who already made two changes after 20 minutes. Grafite came on as a second striker and Wolfsburg returned to their usual 4-4-2. Josué now played as the lone holding midfielder, Hasebe played more offensively and Gentner and Misimovic moved up to play behind the strikers.

Lucas Barrios shrugs off Ricardo Costa and puts BVB 1-0 up.

Game & Analysis:
On a dodgy-looking pitch Borussia were the brighter side from the start. They controlled possession, moved the ball around well, and exposed weaknesses in the Wolfsburg defence early on. In the eighth minute Grosskreutz put a defence-splitting pass through to Zidan and the Egytian shook off Riether, crossed to Barrios who escaped Ricardo Costa and the BVB striker coolly slotted home to give BVB a 1-0 lead.

Borussia doubled the lead not even two minutes later following a fine combination. Kuba raced down the right flank, found Zidan who shook off Ricardo Costa with a quick turn before trying to score a back-heel goal. Barrios was on hand to make sure the ball crossed the line - 2-0 for BVB. Time played at this moment - exactly 9 minutes and 09 seconds. And in freezing temperatures the BVB fans kept themselves warm with chants of, "Who will become German champion? BVB Borussia..."

Wolfsburg coach Armin Veh, whose team had only won one of the last six matches, returned to a "diamond" formation after 20 minutes by bringing on two new players (Grafite for Kahlenberg, Johnson for Riether). But VfL, who picked up more points on the road (12) than at home (11), were still struggling to get into the game. The BVB defence allowed them to earn a total of eight corners until the break, but gave them no space to roam.

It was Borussia who created openings up front. After fine work by Kuba, Zidan danced past one defender, but failed to beat a second - he probably should have tried a shot there (15). Three minutes later, Kuba and Sahin got in the way of each other near the penalty mark after a cross from Sahin.

It was an intense game in front of 30.000 fans: Marcel Schmelzer against Makoto Hasebe.v

In the 35th minute Borussia won their first corner and Wolfsburg goalkeeper Benaglio kept out a Hummels header with a great save. Hummels then hit the post from a Zidan cross a few seconds later, and Owomoyela was on hand to slam the rebound into the net - 3-0 for the Black ´n´ Yellows!

Four minutes before the interval, Barrios missed a great chance to put Borussia 4-0 up when his effort sailed over the bar. Dzeko had Wolfsburg´s first chance of the game, but his shot was cleared off the line by Zidan, and a few seconds later it was Weidenfeller who produced a brilliant save to keep out an 18-yard effort from Riether.

Sahin, who gave his Bundesliga debut in Wolfsburg four and a half years ago as the league´s youngest ever player, pulled the strings for Borussia in midfield and the outstanding Zidan caused Josué a lot of problems.

Wolfsburg took advantage of some careless defending 10 minutes after the restart. Hasebe passed the ball to Grafite and last season´s top scorer ran into the area before confidently stroking the ball past Weidenfeller into the far corner. It was Wolfsburg´s 30th goal of the season - their 23rd after the break.

In the 60th minute Zidan was forced to leave the pitch following a challenge to the knee by Josué, and BVB had to do without one of their crucial counter-attackers. He was replaced by Valdez, and Grosskreutz moved from the left to the centre.

It ruined the flow of the game, and there were few openings after that. Grosskreuzt tried his luck with a shot from 18 yards in the 73rd minute, which was only Borussia´s second shot of goal in the second half. Wolfsburg increased the pressure, but BVB responded with a lot of heart and great desire. They fought for every ball in midfield, closed down the space and prevented Wolfsburg from creating any chances.

Prospects:
In their last home game of the year, BVB take on SC Freiburg next Saturday, 19 December. It will be the penultimate highlight of the centenary year. Kick-off at the SIGNAL IDUNA PARK is 1530 CET.

Teams & Goals

Bundesliga, matchday 16
VFL WOLFSBURG - BORUSSIA DORTMUND 1-3 (0-3)

VfL Wolfsburg: Benaglio - Riether, Ricardo Costa, Barzagli, Schäfer - Hasebe, Josué - Misimovic, Kahlenberg, Gentner - Dzeko.
Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller - Owomoyela, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer - Bender, Sahin - Kuba, Zidan, Großkreutz - Barrios.
Substitutions: 21. Johnson for Riether and Grafite for Kahlenberg, 44. Pekarik for Gentner - 62. Valdez for Zidan, 86. Stiepermann for Barrios, 90.+2 Santana for Großkreutz.
Goals: 0-1 Barrios (8., Zidan), 0-2 Barrios (10., Zidan), 0-3 Owomoyela (36., Hummels), 1-3 Grafite (55., Hasebe).
Corners: 9-3 (HT 8-2), Chances: 4-8 (2-6).
Referee: Kircher (Rottenburg). Bookings: Josué - Sahin, Großkreutz.
Attendance: 30.000 (sold-out). Weather: dry, -2 C.