A successful start at home! Borussia Dortmund can boast of being table leaders for at least one more night due to a 2-0 (1-0) victory over Hertha BSC on the second league matchday. BVB played exceptionally during phases of their first home game of the Bundesliga season 2017/18. After remaining undefeated the previous two seasons at home, this exceptional run has now been extended to 39 matches under Peter Bosz's management too. 

Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reports

In front of 80,860 spectators in an almost completely sold-out SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, the Borussia men dominated from the word go. Hertha were minded to try and keep a clean sheet, but were only able to do so until the 15' minute when Aubameyang utilised his technical prowess to take a deserved 1-0 lead. After the break, BVB remained in command, and were to get another deserved goal through Sahin for a 2-0 scoreline (57'), which was to remain intact until the final whistle. 

All the videos on the game are available at BVBtotal!

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Greetings to the stands: Aubameyang after his goal for 1-0.

Pre-match:
Both teams had won their first games of the season without conceding. BVB won 4-0 in the cup, and also defeated Wolfsburg away 3-0 in their opening game of the season. Hertha defeated Rostock in the cup and Stuttgart in the league, winning 2-0 on both occasions. BVB only took one point from Hertha last season (1-1, 1-2), and in their cup match the score still stood at 1-1 after 120 minutes.

Personnel:
BVB had to do without Schmelzer (lack of match fitness), Durm (hip problem), Guerreiro (broken ankle), Reus (partial cruciate ligament tear), Rode (stress reaction to broken pubic bone), Weigl (lack of match fitness) and Schürrle (torn fibres), and began with exactly the same starting eleven that had prevailed a week ago in Wolfsburg. Hertha were shorn of Klinsmann, Mittelstädt, Lazaro, Schieber, and Selke.

Tactics:
Same squad, same starting eleven, same approach: Borussia set up in a 4-3-3 formation. Berlin lined up defensively, deploying two banks of four with Ibisevic and Darida up front to try and break up play early, though switched to a 4-2-3-1 on winning possession.

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Kalou does battle with Sokratis, who had to be substituted injured just before half-time.

Run of Play & Analysis:
Hertha BSC were able to keep the game relatively open for a quarter of an hour thanks to disciplined defending, but BVB were already exerting their dominance during this early phase of the match, and hinted strongly at what they are capable of going forward. The first real chance of the game then gave the Black and Yellows the lead: Zagadou won the ball strongly in the Berlin half, after which Sahin chipped the ball onto the penalty spot where the oncoming Aubameyang struck the ball first time to nutmeg BSC defender Rekik and score at the far post (15').

Having secured for themselves a lead to settle the nerves, Borussia Dortmund then patiently went about probing for further gaps in the Hertha defence. Offensively, zippy plays were repeatedly made down the wings. Philipp's performance on the flank stood out, and he had a good chance from 20 metres out just before the break, though Jarstein was to thwart him. Pulisic's play also kept drawing all eyes towards him, and he too had a good opportunity after leaving two men standing using a step-over following a pass from Castro, but here again Jarstein was to deny him from seven metres out (28'). The Westphalia men remained authoritative at the back as well, letting nothing get through. A headed effort from Stark (30') which Bürki was easily able to collect was the guests' only chance of the first half hour. The one downer of the opening passage of play was the need to remove Sokratis after 40 minutes due to injury. In his stead, Toprak came on to make his competitive debut playing in BVB colours.

Sahin unleashes the beast

Hertha emerged from the changing rooms with impetus and chalked up the first chance of the second half, but Bürki left his goal at the right time to pluck the ball from Leckie's feet within his area (46'). Thereafter, BVB seized control of the game again. Philipp was prevented from scoring by Jarstein a further time (50'), and Pulisic shot wide of the right post by centimetres (52'). And then it was Nuri Sahin's turn! Borussia attacked on the right via Pulisic, whose subsequent cross found Philipp in the centre. Weiser did manage to block his directly struck shot, but the ball fell in front of Sahin's feet. The Turk struck the ball on the half-volley to rifle a howitzer into the top corner (57'). Jarstein had no chance of stopping it, a goal from the wonder strike draw.

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Berlin refused to capitulate, found new grit after going further behind, and began to play more offensively. For a brief time the game transformed into a more even-sided exchange of blows. Bürki claimed a dangerous cross delivered by Weiser from the wing, and demonstrated lightning reflexes to claw a headed effort from Langkamp off the line after a corner kick (65'). At the other end of the field, Topeka failed to meet the ball cleanly 16 metres out, meaning it fell nicely into the Berlin goalkeeper's arms (67'). It was then Hertha's turn to have another crack, but Leckie's back-heel trundled past the post (70'), while Darida sent the ball just over the bar (75'). Philipp (79') and Pulisic (82', 83', 86') had further excellent chances for BVB, but none were to be converted into the hard currency of goals. Bürki had to demonstrate all his class once again in injury time to deny Stark, and was able to steer his shot out to the side of goal for a corner (90+1').

All videos on the game are available at BVBtotal!

Coming up:
After the forthcoming international break, on Saturday 09.09. at 15:30 CEST, BVB will play away at Sport-Club Freiburg. Four days later (13.09., 20:45 CEST) their Champions League campaign gets underway away at Tottenham Hotspur.

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