1-0 - Ramos heads BVB into the last 16

Real Madrid's failure to pick up more than a point away to Legia Warsaw leaves Borussia well-placed and puts their chances of winning the group in their own hands.

BVB made a bright start as 65,849 fans watched on at a sold-out SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, taking the lead through Ramos (12) and creating excellent chances through Pulisic (33), Castro (39), Ginter (42) and Guerreiro (45) before the interval. After the break Borussia controlled the play but failed to create the gilt-edged chance that would double their lead – and kill the game as a contest. Overall, though, Thomas Tuchel's team had Sporting under control and the scoreline deservedly remained 1-0 in their favour.

Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reporting

The scenario:
Thomas Tuchel's charges had made an excellent start to their UEFA Champions League campaign, picking up seven points to edge Real Madrid into top spot in Group F. A draw would have been enough to hand BVB victory in their head-to-head with Sporting Lisbon, who were in third place on four points.

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Personnel matters:
BVB were still plagued by personnel problems: Schürrle, Guerreiro, who made brief appearances in the derby, and Castro might have all returned to fitness, but the club were now without Kagawa (bruised ankle) and Aubameyang (internal matter), as well as the already injured Schmelzer (fibre tear), Bender (bone marrow oedema), Reus, Subotic (both in fitness training) and Durm (knee). There were four changes to the XI that started the Ruhr Derby, with Bartra, Guerreiro, Castro and Ramos replacing Piszczek, Passlack (both bench), Kagawa and Aubameyang. Lisbon were without Adrien Silva (knee), Jefferson (ankle), Bruno Paulista (dental operation), Petrovic (muscle) und Spalvis (knee operation).

Tactics:
Without possession, Sporting adopted a 5-4-1 formation and played a high and hard-running pressing game. On regaining the ball the two wing-backs Schelotto and Zeegelaar moved forward into midfield, while Martins, Castaignos and Ruiz formed a flexible attacking triumvirate that exposed weaknesses on the left of the BVB defence. For their part, the hosts played in a 4-1-4-1 formation. Having recently played at the heart of defence, Ginter moved across to the right-back, while Götze (right) and Castro (left) took up the central positions in the hosts' four-man midfield.

The match & analysis:
The first talking point came after three minutes when Coates made contact with Pulisic's foot in the box, bringing the American down and preventing a promising chance. Dutch referee Danny Makkelie might have waved the penalty claims away, but Ramos soon fired BVB into an early lead against the high-pressing Portuguese outfit. Sokratis began the move with a long ball into the box which Pulisic controlled expertly before laying it back to Götze, who fed Ginter on the right. The full-back timed his cross to Ramos on the edge of the six-yard box to perfection, the Colombian directing an unstoppable header into the top corner (12).

The goal served to reassure the hosts and gave them more space as Sporting began to leave gaps at the back in a bid to get forward and threaten themselves. Initially, however, they couldn't get close – in part because BVB were solid in defence and cleverly closed down the supply channels to Castaignos, Martins and Ruiz. It wasn't until the half-hour mark that the Westphalian rearguard was occasionally troubled and, if so, it was always when Lisbon played the ball quickly through midfield and bore down on goal at speed. The first real danger came on 27 minutes when Castaignos and Martins played a one-two, but Bürki emerged the victor of the ensuing one-on-one. Three minutes later Martins received the ball in an unmarked position on the right of the box, but Bartra timed his block to perfection and averted the danger.

Pulisic hits the woodwork

BVB, though, remained unperturbed and came close to doubling their lead shortly before the break thanks to an outstanding move: Ramos fed Götze in the box, who then played a quick one-two with Pulisic in a confined space before squaring the ball back to the American, only for his shot from five metres to thunder back off the crossbar (33). Castro's effort from distance was then denied by Rui Patricio in the Sporting goal (39), as was Ginter's strike from 15 metres (42). Dembélé then shot narrowly over from ten metres after being set up by Guerreiro (43), who himself hit the side netting from seven metres as Rui Patricio came scurrying off his line to narrow the angle (45).

The first chance of the second half fell to Sporting, though, with Martins again threatening. Bürki could not catch his curled effort and instead parried, but Ginter averted the danger with Castaignos lurking (49). Shortly afterwards Bruno Cesar hit a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box (52). The Black and Yellows had to stay alert, knowing a one-goal cushion was not enough and that they needed another to kill the game. But that goal simply would not come. Guerreiro struck a free-kick into the arms of Rui Patricio (60), while at the other end Sokratis intervened in the box to deny Dost, who had come on at half-time (62), before Silva curled a free-kick over the bar (67).

The match hung in the balance until the end with chances at both ends: Schürrle curled another free-kick from 18 metres around the wall but Rui Patricio saved down in the bottom corner (75), then Sporting's Ruiz headed narrowly over from six metres (77) before Bürki saved Martin's shot from a narrow angle (90+3). It was to be the last noteworthy action of a match that Borussia Dortmund deservedly won.

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Prospects:
Borussia Dortmund will travel away to Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga on Saturday (15:30 CET), before the week-long international break. Their next Champions League clash comes against Real Madrid in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday 22 November (20:45 CET).

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