Bundesliga
3-0 - Stronger BVB run rings around the Wolves at times
Borussia Dortmund made an impressive start to the 55th Bundesliga season. BVB emerged with a well deserved away win at VfL Wolfsburg on matchday one, having defeated them 3-0 (2-0). Peter Bosz witnessed his team put in a dominant performance from beginning to end, meaning his managerial debut in the Bundesliga was ultimately more than successful.
Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reports
Pulisic put the men from Westphalia into the lead after 22 minutes in front of 30,000 spectators packed into a sold-out Volkswagen Arena, an advantage Bartra extended to 2-0 just five minutes later with a precise shot into the corner of goal. Wolfsburg offered little to no resistance, allowing Aubameyang to take the score-line up to 3-0 in the second half after having been set up by Pulisic (60' minute). A satisfactory result which BVB were easily able to hold onto until time was called.
All the videos on the game are available on BVBtotal!
Pre-match:
The two teams' recent head-to-head record spoke clearly in favour of BVB, who had scored in each of their last 16 encounters against Wolfsburg, notching up a total 43 goals across those fixtures (an average of 2.7 goals per game). Borussia had won their last four fixtures against Wolfsburg altogether, as well as five of the last eight away games in Wolfsburg. Nonetheless, BVB had to be on their guard after last season, in which the team from Lower Saxony were only able to save themselves from dropping down a division in the relegation play-off against Braunschweig: the Wolves can not afford another such season, nor do they want one.
Personnel:
Schürrle (tear to muscle fibres), Reus (partial cruciate ligament tear), Schmelzer (partial tear to lateral collateral ligament), Guerreiro (ankle), Weigl (not match fit), Rode (torn fibres), Durm (muscular problems) and Dembélé (suspended) were missing for BVB. Götze, by contrast, returned at just the right time for the beginning of the season, and was immediately put into the starting eleven in a change to the line-up that took to the field for last week's cup match, with Dahoud dropping to the bench to make way for him. Zagadou defended on the left in place of Beste, who was put into the U19s this weekend. Furthermore, Pulisic started on the left wing to cover for the injured Schürrle. Wolfsburg were also heavily afflicted by injury problems for the first match of the new season: Brooks, Bruma, Jung, Trash, Stefaniak and Vieirinha were all unavailable.
Tactics:
Borussia's 4-3-3 was set up to hold a high defensive line. Wolfsburg, running out in a 4-2-3-1, were rarely able to build up play constructively or in a controlled manner. The Black and Yellows sought a route to goal using rapid, flat passes – mainly via Götze – or long, precise balls to the wings –initiated in the main by Bartra.
Run of Play & Analysis:
Borussia Dortmund began the match full of verve, exchanging the ball quickly and fluidly among their own ranks, while also attempting to find the gaps between Wolfsburg's deep-lying defence. And find them they did repeatedly, though they were unable to get themselves into clear-cut shooting positions in this way for the initial phase of the game. Only Castro had a pop at goal after 10 minutes, but his shot was well wide of the mark. Wolfsburg, in contrast, bided their time, and Didavi got a shot off after twelve minutes, only to see his effort deflected out for a corner kick. The subsequent set piece was headed clearly wide of goal by Gerhardt from 13 metres out.
Bartra strikes sweetly into the corner of goal
Götze was the initiator of BVB's first really good chance on goal, running as he did with pace down the right with Pulisic in tow, whom he then brought into play. Castro struck the American's subsequent cross directly standing on the penalty spot, but the ball was behind him, and so it exited the pitch a good metre to the left of goal. The Black and Yellows increased the pressure further. Zagadou picked up the ball in his own box before firing a sweet pass half the length of the pitch to an already running Aubameyang. Götze picked up the second ball and fed Pulisic, whereupon the American took stock and fired through two men into the far corner to take a deserved 1-0 lead (22').
No less beautifully came the second goal soon after through Bartra. The Spaniard appeared very suddenly after a corner kick completely unmarked on the left of the penalty area, thought briefly about crossing the ball, before deciding to attempt a curled effort which he sank inch-perfect into the top right corner of goal (27'). It was an excellent goal that gave Borussia a thoroughly deserved 2-0 lead, especially as Philipp had had the chance to score too before that, but whose headed attempt was a hair's breadth wide of goal (25'). Aubameyang's shot from 16 metres out was also just millimetres wide of the far post (32').
Aubameyang puts the cherry on the cake
The second half continued as the first, with only BVB playing any football: a Götze shot on goal was too weak (50'), while Aubameyang did not meet cleanly with the ball after excellent build up play from Zagadou and Sahin. Onlookers were slowly overcome by the feeling that VfL had brought their fate upon themselves, since the hosts offered very little. Gomez was the first to give cause for interest with a shot that flew just past his far post. Bartra had allowed the Wolves' captain a little too much space just before during a counterattacking move. However, Aubameyang took the game to 3-0 soon after to decide the match, relegating Gomez's effort to a meagre exception across the course of the encounter. Pulisic shone once again, sending in the assist from the right wing, the Gabonese sliding in on the left of goal at the far post to prod the ball over the line (60').
Gomez subsequently poached from short range, but was in an offside position (68'), meaning that the goal did not stand. It was inconsequential to Wolfsburg this Saturday afternoon, though, as they really had little else to offer up in any case. The men from Dortmund, by contrast, controlled proceedings confidently until the full-time whistle, conceded no further chances at the back until a couple of corners, were satisfied in an attacking sense with 3-0, and set about conserving their energy for their forthcoming tasks. Only Kagawa was to get one more chance before the end, but lifted the ball too gently after receiving it in the area so that VfL keeper Casteels could claim untroubled.
All the videos on the game are available on BVBtotal!
Next to come:
Two further Bundesliga games follow: this coming Saturday (26.08., 18:30 CEST), Hertha BSC visit the SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. One week later, (09.09., 15:30 CEST) and Borussia Dortmund must travel to Sport-Club Freiburg.