After "mature performance" BVB now focus on Revierderby
Borussia Dortmund´s players were soaked to their skins when they walked to their dressing room at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. A few minutes earlier, they had celebrated the 2-1 Champions League victory over Arsenal FC with their 5,000 travelling fans for some time after the final whistle. The Black ´n´ Yellow supporters, however, despite being overjoyed by the impressive performance of their heroes, already had the next game in mind - the Revierderby on Saturday.
"We are back in business in this group," BVB sporting director Michael Zorc told TV reporters after the game in the British capital in a statement reflecting the confidence of a Dortmund team after their impressive performance. According to Zorc, Borussia took their chances when they came, and "that was crucial today as you don´t get many scoring opportunities in the Champions League."
Jürgen Klopp, who completed his two-game touchline ban at the Emirates on Tuesday night, was equally impressed. "My team took the game on," said the Borussia Dortmund coach, adding, "It was an open one that we won thanks to a fantastic attack."
That attack happened in the 82nd minute. At a time when Arsenal applied some real pressure, BVB hit them on the break to deliver the knockout punch. After winning the ball in midfield in an exemplary manner, Robert Lewandowski steered the ball on to Nuri Sahin who then surged to the Gunners box before moving the ball on to Aubameyang, who, showing equal good vision, sent Grosskreutz down the right to the byline from where the native Dortmunder delivered a pin-point cross for the on-rushing Lewandowski to volley home into the near corner.
"The way we held on in the final minutes was unbelievable," said Klopp in praise on his side´s display after the goal. The Black ´n´ Yellows closed down the game denying the home side any chance of an equaliser. "It was a mature performance," said Klopp. Even if the game stats showed that BVB only enjoyed 42 percent possession and a tackle success rate of 45 percent, their victory was not undeserved. "We had a bit of luck here and there, but in the end deserved to win," said Mats Hummels.
In many ways this game was similar to their last meeting at the Emirates. Two years ago, Borussia lost 2-1, with Robin van Persie making it 2-0 on 86 minutes to put the game beyond BVB who only managed to pull one back through Shinji Kagawa in stoppage time - after good work from Robert Lewandowski. Kagawa and van Persie are now playing for Manchester United, while Lewandowski is still at BVB. "It was an important goal, and an important win," said the Polish striker.
There is another parallel between Tuesday´s game and the game from two years ago - a kind of curious one. Borussia Dortmund´s next match is the prestigious Revierderby - which they lost twice last season - against Schalke 04, just like two years ago when they bounced back from the defeat against Arsenal with a 2-0 home win over the Royal Blues. A good omen? "The game will give us a boost for Saturday," said Nuri Sahin. "We now have to recuperate, and then turn our focus on winning the Derby."