Borussia Dortmund will take part in the UEFA Europa League in the 2015/16 season after they claimed a 7-2 home victory in their play-off second leg against Odds BK following their 4-3 win in Norway.

Even before the break, there could be no doubt about the Black and Yellows progressing. Thomas Tuchel’s men delighted a 63,000 strong crowd at Signal Iduna Park with an incredible performance, including some brilliant goals. After their surprising and somewhat undeserved 1-0 deficit in the 19th minute, Mkhitaryan (25), Reus (27, 31) and Kagawa (40) put the record straight, and in the second half Gündogan (51), Reus (57) and Kagawa (90) put the icing on the cake in what was the third-highest scoring victory in Europe in BVB’s history.

Report by Felix Ulrich

The scenario:
After the 4-3 victory in the first leg at Odds Ballklubb in Norway, BVB were in pole position, but had to exercise caution, as Matthias Ginter warned: “We have to be wide awake from the outset”. The Black and Yellows did not want to be caught out again against a team ranked 329th in the FIFA rankings. Ginter added: “Now we know how they play – lots of long balls and many balls out to the onrushing wingers”.

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Marcel Schmelzer setzt sich gegen zwei Norweger durch.

Personnel matters:
In contrast to the 4-3 first-leg success, Thomas Tuchel made four changes to his team, with Sokratis coming in for Castro in defence, Weigl replacing Bender in defensive midfield, and Reus and Hofmann for Kampl and Aubameyang completing the changes. With regards to Kampl, the Slovene did not feature on the bench for BVB against Odds and is currently in talks with another club. After a hip injury, Piszczek featured on the bench once more. 

Tactics:
The hosts lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Weigl playing in front of the back four, Reus in the middle and Hofmann and Mkhitaryan occupying the wide positions in midfield. The Norwegians took up a 4-5-1 formation. It was noticeable how consistently Odds kept nine men around their own 18 yard box when Dortmund had the ball, trying to squeeze the space, and it was even more noticeable how BVB always found a way to break down their defence. 

The match and analysis:
It was an uneven contest from the outset, BVB superior in all respects, having significantly more possession and combining finesse with strength in front of their opponents goal. In the 5th minute, Reus, assisted by Schmelzer, almost gave the hosts the lead early on with a header, only for it to be foiled by Odds keeper Rossbach. Seven minutes later, BVB had three consecutive chances in the form of two shots from Ginter and a Mkhitaryan header, only for them to be saved by the Norwegian keeper once more. Rossbach remained under constant pressure, but Kagawa’s effort too in the 17th minute could not find its way into the net.

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Marco Reus erzielte gegen Odds BK drei Treffer, hier sein Tor zum 2:1.

Instead, BVB were stunned against the run of play; a corner kick from Grögaard was met with a free header by Halvorsen to make it 1-0 to the visitors in the 19th minute. For a good quarter of the match, Odds BK only required one more goal to make it through to the group stages via the away-goals rule. This brief riposte did not last long, however. After conceding, BVB began to dominate, setting the tone of the match and playing more brightly and energetically to create chance after chance.

4 goals in 15 mins for BVB

Between the 25th and 40th minute it became a veritable onslaught for the Black and Yellows, completely taking apart the Norwegian defence. It all started with Mkhitaryan, with the Armenian blasting the ball into the right-hand corner of the goal from a good 22m out, a wonderful goal to make it 1-1 in the 25th minute. Two minutes later, BVB had already turned the game on its head, Reus converting a Gündogan cross from close range to make it 2-1 in the 27th minute. Reus scored again (assisted by Mkhitaryan, 31) and Kagawa, assisted by Ginter and Weigl, scored in the 40th minute to ensure a comfortable 4-1 lead.

The highlights of the first half were Mkhitaryan’s solo efforts for 1-0 and the teamwork before 3-1, Gündogan playing a wonderful ball wide to Mkhitaryan, the Armenian volleying it into the middle from the left for Reus to fire it into the roof of the net.

Hat-trick for Marco Reus

After the break it took less than six minutes for BVB to extend their lead, Gündogan trying his luck from 23 metres out and managing to beat Rossbach, who got a hand to it but could not keep it out. This was BVB’s 9th goal against Odds BK, and their 25th in seven competitive matches! The Norwegians were helpless to do anything to stop the Black and Yellows. It was an uneven contest as the Black and Yellows ran riot.

Reus’ third goal of the evening, assisted by Mkhitaryan in the 57th minute, brought up goal number six for BVB. Odds BK reduced the deficit five minutes later with their second shot on goal, Oliver Berg striking it past a helpless Weidenfeller into the bottom left of the goal. 

BVB ease up towards the end

Thomas Tuchel made some changes on the hour, with Aubameyang, Piszczek and Bender coming on for Sokratis, Mkhitaryan and Gündogan. The wind was taken out of their sails a little as a result. BVB pushed further forwards and had opportunities to make it seven, Piszczek hitting the left post, but appeared to be easing off against the Norwegians. At the end of the match, Kagawa scored (90) to make it the third-highest scoring game for the Black and Yellows in the European competition in their history. Only against Floriana La Valetta (8-0 in 1965) and Spora Luxemburg (7-0 in 1956) were the scorelines even greater.

Prospects:
BVB continue their Bundesliga campaign at Signal Iduna Park on Sunday, 15:30 against Hertha Berlin. They will also play a friendly match away to St. Pauli on the 8 September during the international break at the Millerntor-Stadion. The draw for the UEFA Europa League takes place on Friday in Monaco, Borussia Dortmund are part of the teams in pot one. 

Teams & Goals