0-1: BVB go down to ruthless Londoners - Ramsey scores the winner for Arsenal
Home record broken! Borussia Dortmund went down 1-0 (0-0) to Arsenal this evening in their fourth group game of this season´s UEFA Champions League thus ending a run of seven games unbeaten in the competition at the SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. The only goal of the game that saw Arsenal remain atop the group F table was scored by Ramsey in the 62nd minute.
Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reporting
The SIGNAL IDUNA PARK had been sold out for this one weeks ago and the 65,829 present witnessed a cautious first half display from both sides. BVB did create two passable chances in the 25th and 37th minutes but in the main were unable to display the necessary precision in their passing game. The second half saw BVB become ever more dominant but it was Arsenal who ruthlessly put the game to bed through Ramsey on 62 minutes.
The Scenario:
Borussia Dortmund had never lost at home to English opposition in the top European competition (7 wins, 3 draws) with the SIGNAL IDUNA PARK having become something of a fortress on European nights. The last seven games had all ended in victory and you had to go back as far as December 2011 to find the last defeat (to Marseilles 2-3). Going into tonight´s game three group F teams all had six points; these two plus SC Napoli. Arsenal arrived full of confidence due to their sitting on top of the Premier League as well as having won two and drawn two of their last four games in Germany, the last being a 2-0 win in Munich in March.
Personnel Matters:
Jürgen Klopp had, once again, to do without the services of both Piszczek and Gündogan while Hummels also had to sit this one out with a thigh problem. Kehl was once again in the squad having fought his way back to fitness. Arsenal´s Arsene Wenger had a whole range of prominent players out through injury: Walcott, Flamini, Wilshire, Diaby, Podolski, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sanogo didn´t even travel!
Tactics:
Both teams lined up in 4-2-3-1 formations with Ramsey and Rosicky in particular showing flashes of brilliance for the visitors. BVB, on the other hand focussed on attacking down the flanks through the likes of Kuba, Reus and Großkreutz.
The Game and Analysis:
Both teams started taking care to remain tight at the back with the only noteworthy action of the first twenty minutes being a flying fist-away by Weidenfeller after Özil had whipped in a dangerous cross. At the other end a Subotic shot flew just wide a few minutes later.
In the cold, very wet conditions neither side could find their normal fluency. Arsenal tried to take the game to BVB but found a well-organised defence thwarting them while BVB sought to hit on the counter-attack. In just such an attack Reus found Großkreutz in the box on 25 minutes who in turn fed Kuba only for the Pole to pull his shot wide of the Arsenal goal.
The miserable weather did not affect the crowd´s passion as both sets of fans cheered on their heroes. Shortly before the interval the Black ´n´ Yellows created their best chance when Lewandowski won the ball in midfield and charged forward only to be fouled from behind. The referee waved play on as the ball found Kuba who duly crossed for Mkhitaryan in the box. With all the time in the world, the Armenian picked his spot and angled a shot beyond the ´keeper but sadly, also past the post.
BVB emerged with a much more positive mindset for the second half and were soon causing more problems than they had during the entire first half. First Reus headed goalwards only to see Szczesny tip the ball round for a corner. The ensuing corner was also dangerous as Mkhitaryan followed up to fire the ball over the bar. With 51 minutes gone, it remained 0-0. Just a minute later the ´10´ shirt was again charging forward and finding Kuba whose shot was only partially dealt with by Szczesny allowing Reus to force home the rebound. However, a glance to the sideline saw the flag up and so the only comfort BVB had at this stage was that they had registered 10 attempts on goal to precisely none by the visitors.
But right in the middle of this period of BVB dominance Arsenal fashioned the one truly effective attack of the game and took the lead. An Özil cross found Giroud in the box; in turn he found Ramsey who forced the ball home from close in. Now a goal down, BVB took up the cudgel again and poured forward. But it just seemed it was to be one of those nights when, after 65 minutes both Kuba and Reus just failed to connect with a delicious Lewandowski cross. Five minutes later Schmelzer´s effort from long range flashed wide.
At the other end, Weidenfeller was busy trying to keep his team in the game foiling Ramsey on 66 minutes and then pulling off a great save to deny Giroud on 67 minutes. Klopp sent on Aubameyang and Hofmann for Kuba and Bender but by now Arsenal were defending as if their lives depended on it along the edge of their box. At the end BVB tried to bombard the Arsenal back four with long balls but again, to no avail. There was possibly a case for a penalty when Lewandowski went down in time added on, but the referee was not of that opinion.
Teams & Goals
UEFA Champions League, Matchday 4
BORUSSIA DORTMUND - ARSENAL 0-1 (0-0)
Borussia Dortmund:Weidenfeller - Großkreutz, Subotic, Sokratis, Schmelzer - Bender, Sahin - Blaszczykowski, Mkhitaryan, Reus - Lewandowski
Arsenal: Szczesny - Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs - Ramsey, Arteta - Rosicky, Özil, Santi Cazorla - Giroud
Substitutions:74. Aubameyang for Blaszczykowski, 75. Hofmann for Bender, 86. Schieber for Reus - 75. Monreal for Santi Cazorla, 90. Bendtner for Giroud, 90.+1 Vermaelen for Arteta
Goal:0-1 Ramsey (62., Giroud),
Corners:6:2 (HT 2-1), Chances:5-3 (2-0)
Referee: Kuipers (HOL), Yellow cards: Lewandowski - Arteta
Prospects:
On Saturday (kick off 1530 CET) BVB visit VfL Wolfsburg. The next action in the UEFA Champions League is not for three weeks when SC Napoli visit Dortmund on Tuesday 26 November (kick off 2045CET).