Borussia Dortmund secured a 3-2 (1-1) win over Hannover 96 on matchday 26 of the Bundesliga season, with both sides producing a particularly pulsating second half display. Kagawa scored his first goal in over 1,200 minutes (57) and Aubameyang (19, 61) grabbed a brace to take all three points for BVB. The Black and Yellows have now extended their unbeaten league run to seven games and - though still in tenth place - have moved to within one point of Bremen and Frankfurt above them. 

Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reports

The 49,000 fans packed into a sold-out HDI Arena were witness to a relatively even first period. Despite registering slightly less possession (45 per cent) than their hosts, Borussia Dortmund took the lead through Aubameyang (19) before a Stindl effort for Hannover levelled the scoring (31). The match sprang into life after the break when Bittencourt was dismissed for a second bookable offence (55), with BVB making the most of their numerical superiority to snatch two quick goals through Kagawa and Aubameyang (57, 61). Stindl pulled one back for Hannover in the closing stages (82) but BVB held on to secure all three points.

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The scenario:

Borussia Dortmund had emerged victorious in three of their last four games against Hannover, and the Black and Yellows had only lost one of their last six trips to the capital of Lower Saxony (a 2-1 defeat in the 2011/12 season). The Black and Yellows might have gone into the game boasting a six-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga, but their last two matches against Hamburg and Cologne had both ended in a goalless draw. BVB also suffered a midweek exit from the UEFA Champions League after losing their last-16 tie against Italians Juventus. Hannover, on the other hand, had only claimed victory in one of their previous 14 outings and were without a win in nine games, a run in which they failed to keep a single clean sheet.

Personnel matters:

Borussia Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp made four changes to the side that hosted Juventus in the Champions League three days earlier, with Blaszczykowski, Kirch, Kehl and Kagawa all recalled to the starting line-up. Kampl, Mkhitaryan and Bender dropped to the bench, while Schmelzer joined Dortmund’s other stricken full-backs Piszczek, Durm and Großkreutz on the treatment table. Sokratis took his place at left-back. Hannover 96 were without Miller, Hoffmann, Pander, Ernst, Sobiech and Karaman.

Tactics:

Hannover sought to counter BVB’s 4-2-3-1 formation with a newly implemented 4-1-4-1 formation, with Sané operating as the sole defensive midfielder. Stindl and Kiyotake sat further forward in midfield, flanked by Bittencourt and Briand on the wings. The men from Lower Saxony showed flexibility in attack but were still able to close off space at the back thanks to both a solid back four and Sané's presence as a sweeper. Borussia looked to break the home side down with short passing movements.

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Oliver Kirch attempting to bring the ball under control

The game and analysis:

In contrast to their duels with Hamburg and Cologne, BVB were not forced to take the game to the opposition from the outset. Instead, Hannover seized the initiative and proved to be the more active team in the opening twenty minutes, though a well-marshalled Borussia Dortmund defence denied them any real opportunities. The away side sat back, waited for their chance to pounce and tried to gain the advantage by launching quick counter-attacks.

Zieler prevented BVB from breaking the deadlock after just 50 seconds, showing tremendous agility to deny Blaszczykowski, while Kagawa’s shot from a centre-left position outside the box was blocked by an outstretched leg from Marcelo at the last minute (11). Eight minutes later Kuba launched the next foray forward, hitting a horizontal pass into the middle from the flank. Kehl cleverly dummied the ball, allowing Reus to take possession and slide through to Aubameyang, who rifled the ball into the bottom left-hand corner from 15 metres out. Zieler had no chance. Borussia were 1-0 up.

The home side seemed unfazed and were soon in the thick of the action once again. Kiyotake, whose tireless pressure dispossessed a Dortmund player on the halfway line, found Bittencourt in space. The former Borussia player made a high-speed charge down the left wing and into the box, cutting the ball back to the penalty spot for Stindl to sidefoot home. The midfielder instantly dispatched his effort into the bottom right-hand corner (31).

Turning point after 55 minutes

For the remainder of the first period, BVB were on the back foot. A few minutes after the equaliser, Bittencourt was presented with a golden chance to turn the game in Hannover’s favour but missed from close range (34). At the other end, Aubameyang closed in on Zieler after some lovely build-up play but despite touching the ball past the Hannover custodian with his knee, he failed to control it in the box (37).

Hannover enjoyed the better chances to take the lead when the game resumed after the break, with Hummels resorting to some last-ditch defending to clear a Joselu header off the line (53). But it was the following eight minutes that paved the way for BVB to secure an important away victory. Bittencourt, who had been cautioned for a late challenge on Kuba in the 49th minute, went in hard on Kehl in midfield. Referee Brych brandished a deserved second yellow card and sent him off (55), swinging the game in Borussia Dortmund’s favour.

Kagawa back to his best

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Referee Brych gave Hannover's Bittencourt his marching orders on the 55-minute mark

Kuba took full advantage of the new-found free space on the right just two minutes later, sprinting from his own half towards the Hannover box before hitting a perfectly timed pass to Marco Reus. The winger quickly looked up and squared the ball past the onrushing Zieler for Kagawa to tap the ball into an empty net to make it 2-1 (57). It was the Japan international’s first Bundesliga strike for over 1,200 minutes!

Kagawa’s effort was celebrated feverishly and the celebrations resumed a short while later when he turned provider with a wonderful assist. With the ball at his feet on the left, he struck a pass with the outside of his right boot across goal towards the far post, where the onrushing Aubameyang met the cross with a diving header to clinch Dortmund's third (61). Sokratis could have made it four, but Zieler got a foot to the shot (76). The Hannover 96 shot-stopper then won a one-on-one with Reus, who was fed by Kuba and was through against him. But Zieler stuck a leg out and deflected the ball onto the left post at the last second (80).

However, Borussia did suffer a scare as the encounter edged towards the final whistle when Stindl pulled one back with a curling effort into the top corner from 17 metres out (82). Both Kehl and Sokratis then failed to put the game beyond Hannover's reach in a goalmouth scramble just four minutes from time (86). One minute later Albonorz played in a dangerous ball from the right, but Weidenfeller cleared.

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Prospects:

The Bundesliga will now break for international duty, with BVB set to resume the action over the Easter weekend. On Saturday 4 April (18:30 CET), Borussia Dortmund will take on Bayern Munich at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK before facing TSG Hoffenheim on Tuesday 7 April, (20:30 CET) as both sides battle it out for a place in the DFB Cup semi-final.

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