One world-class pass from Marco Reus followed by a Gabonese goal celebration by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and the South Stand chanted “BVB are back”. The scenes in Signal Iduna Park following the third goal against Mainz were a bit reminiscent of so many times in the club's recent years of success.

Nuri Sahin's goal to seal the 4-2 win capped off an almost perfect week for BVB, which had begun with the 3-0 defeat of Freiburg and had already reached its high point on Tuesday with the announcement of Marco Reus's new contract extension.

What was particularly impressive about the victory against Mainz was the fact that this was the first time all season the black and yellows had managed to come from behind to win a match. The previous twelve occasions had resulted in 11 losses and one draw. “It was extremely important that we kept our cool after going behind”, said Marcel Schmelzer after the match.

"Showed exactly right reaction“

image
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates the third goal against Mainz.

His coach put a lot of it down to his team's improved fitness levels following the winter break: “That's why in the second half we were able to take our time and not go flat-out right from the start”, said Jürgen Klopp. “We showed exactly the right reaction to going behind, we can build on that”. That level of awareness had simply not been possible during the first half of the season.

“The team showed they have character and above all that there's life in them”, said Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose goal from a superb through ball by Marco Reus was described as “world class” even by opposition coach Kasper Hjulmand. Dortmund look like a team that is rediscovering its fluency with each game they play. 

After the team began the year with a respectable 0-0 draw in Leverkusen followed by a setback with defeat against Augsburg, they have now put on two solid performances. With 21 shots on goal versus 6 against Mainz their victory was thoroughly deserved, with both Neven Subotic (first time in almost two years) and Nuri Sahin (first time for more than a year) finally rediscovering their goal-scoring touch. It was the first home game Marco Reus had scored in this season – when he gave his team the lead at 2-1 the South Stand at last erupted into scenes of jubilation.

"Nobody will be resting on their laurels"

“We should enjoy this evening”, said BVB sporting director Michael Zorc after the match. But nobody will be resting on their laurels, even if the win against fellow strugglers Mainz was described by Jürgen Klopp as “a six-pointer”. “The next games won't be any easier”, the coach warned.

And he is right. Next week they play Stuttgart, who are also involved in a fight for Bundesliga survival. That will be followed by two tough weeks with mid-week games: the last 16 of the Champions League in Turin, the home derby against FC Schalke, the DFB Cup quarter-final in Dresden and the match away at Hamburger SV, another relegation tussle.

"Have to get more consistency into our performances“

“We now have to get more consistency into our performances”, said Jürgen Klopp. His left-back Marcel Schmelzer clarified: “After the win in Freiburg this was the second step. But now we have to take the third and fourth steps”. The win was a start but only the next few weeks will show where Borussia Dortmund's path will lead them come the end of the season.