Two efforts off the woodwork, two offside goals, four goals that counted and a whole host of well-created chances: Borussia Dortmund have made a flying start to 2016 after recording a clear 4-0 (1-0) friendly victory over Eintracht Frankfurt during their Dubai training camp thanks to goals from Ramos (2), Gündogan and Kagawa.

Eintracht stopped off in Dubai on the way back to Frankfurt from their winter training camp in Abu Dhabi to play in this recently arranged friendly. Though the match was not advertised, around 500 spectators still came to the stadium.

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Felix Passlack played on the left of the back four.

In addition to Durm, Sahin and Bender, BVB boss Thomas Tuchel was without Schmelzer (muscular problems) and Weidenfeller (stitches on his eyebrow following a training collision).

His team were very much the dominant force from the start, producing flowing combination play and creating a number of chances to score. Leitner, one of the standout performers in the opening stages, failed to beat SGE 'keeper Hradecky (3') after Gündogan found Reus, who cut the ball back from the byline. Shortly afterwards, Leitner played in Mkhitaryan, only for Frankfurt's Oczipka to block the ball on the line (7').

And so it continued: Reus missed Gündogan's cross at the far post (18'); Mkhitaryan struck the woodwork from 20 metres out (23'); Leitner hit an effort from distance slightly too high (35'); Aubameyang failed to beat shot-stopper Hradecky from a narrow angle (38') and then lobbed the ball narrowly over the frame of the goal (43'). Borussia were only threatened in one passage of play, Gündogan clearing Meier's header off the line following a corner (27').

Gündogan from the spot, Kagawa and a Ramos brace

Borussia needed a penalty kick to take in a highly deserved 1-0 lead at the break. After Stendera held back Reus, Gündogan fired home (39'). Mkhitaryan's goal shortly before the break was ruled out for offside.

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The only members of the starting eleven who came out for the second half after the break were Subotic and Ginter. Barely three minutes had been played before Castro capitalised on a mistake to set up Ramos for the second (48'). Abraham managed to deny Ramos five minutes later, before Hradecky made a strong save from Weigl (58').

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Reus battles with Stendera - another clash between the pair led to the penalty.

Shortly afterwards, Frankfurt's goalkeeper sent a misplaced pass into the path of Pulisic, who found the unmarked Kagawa, who tapped home easily to make it 3-0 (62'). Two minutes later Stenzel struck the crossbar. When Russ pulled up injured in the centre circle, Ramos only had Medojevic to beat and made it 4-0 (68'). Only a few seconds later, Eintracht 'keeper Hradecky denied the Colombian a hat-trick. At the other end, Fabian's free-kick struck the crossbar (74'). Djakpa's effort also hit the woodwork following a deflection from Subotic (85'). Castro's goal was then disallowed for offside (87'). In the last minute he was thwarted by Hradecky, before missing the goal by 20 centimetres in stoppage time...

On Friday, BVB will face Korean champions Jeonbuk Hyundai. The kick-off is at 13:35 CET.

BVB 1st half: Bürki – Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Passlack – Ginter – Gündogan, Leitner – Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang, Reus
BVB 2nd half: Bonmann – Stenzel, Subotic, Sokratis, Park – Weigl, Ginter – Pulisic, Kagawa, Castro – Ramos
Goals: 1-0 Gündogan (39', pen.), 2-0 Ramos (48'), 3-0 Kagawa (62'), 4-0 Ramos (68')
Boris Rupert