2-2: BVB lead twice, but have to settle for a draw

A sold out 80,467 crowd in the Signal Iduna Park saw Aubameyang give BVB the lead after eight minutes following fine work by Immobile. On the half hour Kevin de Bruyne equalised with a free-kick from twenty five yards out. With fifteen minutes remaining Immobile struck only for Naldo to grab an equaliser from a corner five minutes from the end of the game.

Felix Ulrich reporting

The Scenario:

Sixteenth in the table welcomes the second-placed team. On paper, at least, VfL Wolfsburg came into the game clear favourites not least because so far this season BVB have completely lacked consistency having not managed to string two games in a row without a defeat. That said, the Black n Yellows had won three of their last four home games (also drawing with Anderlecht) while Wolfsburg arrived having won five of their last six games on the road across all competitions with a sole defeat coming at Schalke. Of the 34 Bundesliga head-to-heads BVB had won 18 with a further eight ending in draws. At the Signal Iduna Park BVB had won eleven, drawn three and lost three games with Wolfsburg.

Personnel Matters:

Borussia Dortmund started with a team showing two changes from the starting eleven in Berlin. Kevin Großreutz replaced the injured Mkhitaryan while Erik Durm came in for the unwell Lukasz Piszczek. Reus and Sokratis remained unavailable for selection as VfL arrived missing the services of Ochs and Felipe.

Tactics:

Just as in the previous games against Hoffenheim, Anderlecht and Berlin, BVB lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation seeking a balance between attacking opportunities and defensive stability. The system allowed Bender to drop deep to assist Kehl when required as the system became 4-4-2 when defending. Up front Immobile was supported by Gündogan. Wolfsburg adopted a very flexible 4-2-3-1 formation.

The Game and Analysis:

It was a start the like of which many BVB fans had hoped for so often this season as the home side set about their task with passion and commitment. The first chance was created within the first minute when Knoche lost the ball, Gündogan immediately fed Aubameyang from down the left but he was slightly unbalanced and sent his header over the bar.

BVB started strongly

But after four minutes it could just as easily have been Wolfsburg ahead with de Bruyne twice firing in shots from just within the box, the first being parried by Langerak, the rebound sailing over the bar. The fans in the Signal Iduna Park were being served up a thoroughly good game with both teams committed to attack and after eight minutes BVB opened the scoring.

Hummels had rampaged forward and sent a beautiful pass into Immobile who looked up and sent in a cross which Aubameyang squeezed home from the narrowest of angles to notch his fifth goal of the season to give BVB a lead for only the seventh time this season.

BVB then failed to capitalise on their early advantage despite often being in threatening positions without finding that final pass. Whilst the visitors were not steady at the back, going forward de Bruyne was a constant threat and duly punished BVB for their failure to build on a good start shortly before the half hour mark. Kehl brought down Luiz Gustavo just outside the box and de Bruyne stepped up to swing the free-kick up and over the wall and into the right hand corner of the net. Langerak initially went the wrong way but still managed to get a hand on the ball but it was still 1-1.

The Black n Yellows enjoyed only 35% of possession before the break but started the second half in a composed fashion having almost gone in ahead when Immobile, found by Kehl, saw VfL ‘keeper Benaglio make a fine save from his volley.

Langerak makes a fantastic save

Langerak soon had a chance to show his worth in the second half when he blocked a shot from Vieirinha on 48 minutes almost in the style of an ice hockey goal-tender, namely with his face!

BVB duly came into the game more and more and Immobile was soon testing Benaglio from just inside the box. The Italian was soon in again, on 65 minutes, but played in by Aubameyang, his shot slid just wide.

Jürgen Klopp made his first change with Kirch replacing Gündogan with fifteen minutes to go. Just a minute later Kirch won the ball in midfield and fed Immobile who fired home from some twenty yards out into the bottom left-hand corner. It was a deserved lead and ought to have been enough to give BVB a win but it was not to be as Naldo nodded home a corner with five minutes remaining to bring a pulsating game to a close.

Teams & Goals

Bundesliga, Matchday 16
BORUSSIA DORTMUND – VFL WOLFSBURG 2-2 (1-1)

Bor. Dortmund: Langerak – Durm, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer - Kehl - Aubameyang, Gündogan, Bender, Großkreutz – Immobile
VfL Wolfsburg: Benaglio - Jung, Naldo, Knoche, Rodriguez - Luiz Gustavo, Guilavogui - Vieirinha, De Bruyne, Perisic – Dost
Substututions: 75. Kirch for Gündogan - 63. Caligiuri for Vieririnha, 79. Arnold for Luiz Gustavo, 84. Olic for Perisic
Goals: 1-0 Aubameyang (8., Immobile), 1-1 de Bruyne (29., free-kick), 2-1 Immobile (76., Kirch), 2-2 Naldo (85., corner Rodriguez)
Corners: 4-5 (HT 0-1), Chances: 9-5 (3-3)
Referee: Welz (Wiesbaden), Yellow cards: Subotic (5th, suspended for next gamet)
Attendance: 80,467 (sold-out), Weather: rainy, 8 degrees

Prospects:

BVB play their last game of 2014 on Saturday when they visit Werder Bremen (kick off 1530CET) in a game that is already a 42,500 sell out.