Match Report
Guirassy scores four in 6-0 demolition of Union Berlin
Boris Rupert reporting
In front of 81,365 spectators at a sold-out SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, BVB needed a good 20 minutes to get going and then took a deserved 2-0 lead with goals from Diogo Leite (own goal, 25) and Serhou Guirassy (40), while also being denied by the crossbar before the break. In the final quarter of an hour, the fans had more goals to celebrate from Guirassy (75/80/83), before Maximilian Beier added a sixth (89).
The scenario:
11th against 13th. Union had lost seven of the 11 meetings to date in the Bundesliga. Only against Bayern Munich had the Berliners lost more often.
Personnel matters:
With the exception of the injured Brandt (muscle strain) and Nmecha (knee), the whole first team was available. Reyna came into the team for Brandt, with Bensebaini and Beier replacing Svensson and Gittens (both moved to the bench).
Tactics:
Both teams operated out of a 4-2-3-1 formation, albeit with different approaches. Union deployed a defensive-minded player in Schäfer in the number-ten position and looked to press in Dortmund's half to force mistakes. As for BVB, Bensebaini moved from the left-back position to the centre of midfield to join Sabitzer when in possession, while Gross then moved one position further forward and positioned himself higher up the pitch on the left, operating close to Reyna.
The match & analysis:
The Black & Yellows' attacking endeavours in the first 20 minutes were promising at first, but ultimately unthreatening due to too many mistakes. It was more good fortune that led to the first real opportunity and the opening goal of the game. Firstly, Ryerson latched onto a misplaced Adeyemi shot, played the ball across from the baseline to the middle, where Gross was able to shoot on goal but failed to beat Rönnow (7). In the 25th minute, Union successfully repelled a BVB attack, but when they looked to build up from the back, Bensebaini pounced to intercept and passed to Adeyemi on the edge of the penalty area, who was challenged as he received the ball, causing it to skittle off to a half-right position. Ryerson took the ball in his stride and shot on goal from around 20 metres. out. Diogo Leite got his body in the way but was unfortunate to deflect the ball into his own net.
Once the opening goal fell, the game changed. Four minutes later, Doekhi blocked a cross from Ryerson with his arm (no penalty was awarded, a correct decision), Adeyemi pounced on the rebound and played the ball to the near post, where Gross got on the end of it and struck the crossbar before Bensebaini headed the rebound over the target (29). Schlotterbeck then took the Union defence out the game with a searching long ball over the top for Adeyemi, whose first touch near the edge of the box was good, but the finish failed to match as the ball zipped just wide of the right-hand post (36). Just like the first, the second goal was initiated by Bensebaini. The Algerian won a challenge against Jeong on the left wing and then set up Gross, who played a delicate cross to the far post, where Guirassy made no mistake with his header from point-blank range (40).
At the start of the second half, Guirassy's efforts with his foot (52) and then with his head (57) were not far off the mark, but overall BVB lacked bite. Union were allowed to play and were unfortunate not to pull a goal back after Benes' sharp cross. The ball struck Can's shin and bounced not into his own net, but into the arms of Kobel (59).
Just as the visitors began to open up and find gaps in Dortmund's defence, Borussia had the chance to wrap things up. However, Rönnöw saved Gross's long-range shot (71), and seconds later Beier edged a sharp cross just inches to the left of the target. Not long afterwards, Adeyemi hit the post after a fantastic pass from Chukwuemeka (74).
Guirassy's shot from 14 metres was first blocked by a Berlin player in the six-yard box, but the rebound fell to Gross, who played it back to Guirassy, who fired the ball in under the crossbar from the left-hand side of the six-yard box (75). From then on, there was no stopping him. First Chukwuemeka dribbled towards the penalty area and picked out Beier on the left, who crossed the ball to Guirassy in the middle for his hat-trick (80). But there was more: Gross notched up his third assist of the evening, crossing from the left into the box, where Guirassy beat Diogo Leite and headed home to make it 5-0 (83). But that wasn't the end of the story. In the 89th minute, Gross crossed, this time from the right, and Beier headed home to make it 6-0.
Outlook:
A full week of training awaits, concluding with next Saturday's match away to FC St. Pauli.
Teams & goals
Bundesliga, Matchday 23
Saturday, 22 February 2025, 18:30 CET
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 6–0 (2-0) 1. FC UNION BERLIN
Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Ryerson (85, Couto), Can, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini (69, Svensson) – Sabitzer (85, Özcan), Gross – Adeyemi, Reynan (69, Chukwuemeka), Beier – Guirassy (85, Gittens)
Union Berlin: Rönnow – Juranovic, Doekhi, Diogo Leite, Rothe – Khedira (58, Haberer), Tousart (58, Benes) – Jeong (72, Skarke), Schäfer (82, Querfeld), Hollerbach (72, Ljubicic) – Ilic
Substitutes: Meyer, Anton, Duranville, Süle – Schwolow, Trimmel, Skov, Ljubicic, Prtajin, Volland
Goals: 1-0 Diogo Leite (25., own-goal, Ryerson), 2-0 Guirassy (40, Gross), 3-0 Guirassy (75, Gross), 4-0 Guirassy (80, Beier), 5-0 Guirassy (83., Gross),
Corners: 5-3 (2-2 at half-time), Chance ratio: 14-2 (5-1)
Referee: Dankert (Rostock), Bookings: Bensebaini, Reyna – Khedira, Tousart
Attendance: 81,365 (sold-out), Weather: dry initially, then rain, 12 degrees celsius