Bundesliga
5-1 - The Black and Yellow goal machine continues at full speed
Borussia Dortmund have won their third competitive match in the space of seven days in impressive fashion, emerging clear 5-1 (2-0) victors away to VfL Wolfsburg on Matchday 4 of the Bundesliga campaign and – quite incredibly – scoring their 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th competitive goals in the space of a week!
BVB dominated proceedings in the opening stages and quickly surged into a two-goal lead through Guerreiro (4) and Aubameyang (17) as 30,000 spectators watched on at a sold-out Volkswagen Arena. The score remained unchanged until the break thanks to several outstanding saves from Bürki, but Wolfsburg – deservedly at the time – pulled one back early on in the second half through Didavi (53). However, Dembélé (58) and Aubameyang (62) quickly struck back to put BVB 4-1 ahead and end any Wolfsburg hopes of levelling the scores, before Piszczek rounded off the 5-1 victory with a header late on (73).
Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reports
The scenario:
The Black and Yellows travelled to Lower Saxony in buoyant mood following successive 6-0 victories over Warsaw and Darmstadt. "Show courage, maintain the tempo and keep up the desire to score and defend," were the demands from Thomas Tuchel, who nonetheless warned that his side were facing a much greater challenge against Wolfsburg. The Wolves had one point fewer (5) than BVB from the opening three matches, but remained unbeaten - although their last two outings had ended in goalless draws against Köln and in Hoffenheim.
Match reactions, interviews and analysis on BVBtotal!
Personnel matters:
Thomas Tuchel rotated again as BVB started the game with the same XI that had begun away to Legia Warsaw last Wednesday, reintroducing Piszczek, Bartra, Götze and Aubameyang in place of Passlack, Ginter, Ramos and Castro. VfL coach Dieter Hecking was without Ascues (thigh injury), Jung (torn cruciate ligament) and Guilavogui (broken cervical vertebra).
Tactics:
Borussia adopted the same 4-1-4-1 formation they employed in the last two games against Warsaw and Darmstadt with Weigl operating as a sole defensive midfielder. Guerreiro (centre-left) lined up alongside Götze in the middle, while Dembélé (left) and Pulisic on the flanks completed the offensive midfield quartet. Wolfsburg (4-2-3-1) initially struggled to get a foothold but got stronger after the first half-hour, after which full-backs Vierinha (right) and in particular Rodriguez on the left got forward with zeal when the hosts had the ball and gave them strength in numbers on the flanks. In the second half Wolfsburg also adopted a 4-1-4-1, with substitute Seguin sitting in front of the back four.
The match & analysis:
BVB got off to a fine start against the Wolves, just as they had done against Warsaw and Darmstadt. There were four minutes on the clock when Bartra played the perfect blind ball from his own half into space for Guerreiro to chase, the Portuguese European champion keeping his composure as he bore down on VfL shot-stopper Casteels and finding the net with a low shot. A quarter of an hour later, when Aubameyang latched onto a throw-in from Schmelzer, left the Wolfsburg rearguard in his wake with a short sprint and curled the ball into the far corner from eight metres to make it 2-0 (17), BVB were already well on the way to victory – thanks in part to the hosts' failure to convert a spate of good chances.
Bürki made excellent saves from Henrique (8) and Gomez (36), then did well to thwart the danger posed by a Rodriguez free-kick from 17 metres (37) and a long-range effort from Arnold (44). Draxler also shot wide of the far post from five metres (23). At the other end, the Black and Yellows themselves could have scored the goals that would have extended their lead at the break. But Schmelzer could only hit the side netting after Dembélé danced through to set him up (19) and Götze's shot from 15 metres was comfortably saved by Casteels in the Wolfsburg goal (33).
Two assists for Castro
Shortly after the break Bürki was back in the spotlight, twice saving on the line from Draxler and Gomez seconds apart (50). Didavi then pulled one back – deservedly given Wolfsburg's chances – from six metres out following an assist from Seguin (53). Thereafter the game quickly developed into a high-intensity affair, with Wolfsburg piling on the pressure in a bid to equalise, but Bürki again came to his team's rescue by saving from Draxler (57). Amid the spell of pressure Borussia twice countered at speed to devastating effect, first scoring when Guerreiro found Castro, whose square ball left Dembélé with a simple tap-in (58).
Then Sokratis played a long ball down the right touchline to Castro, who again stood out as provider having come on as a substitute for Pulisic at half-time. This time he set up Aubameyang, who scored his second of the night from 12 metres (62). It was that goal that broke the Wolves' resolve. Piszczek then added a fifth with a header from a corner, (73) after which Borussia comfortably saw out the remainder of the game.
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Prospects:
There's no time to rest for Borussia Dortmund, who welcome SC Freiburg to SIGNAL IDUNA PARK in the Bundesliga on Friday (20:30 CET) before their UEFA Champions League showdown with Real Madrid takes place next Tuesday (27/9 at 20:45 CET).