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Pre-Match Report

BVB’s Chance at a Club Record – A Special Game for Ryerson

Borussia Dortmund has started a Bundesliga season as successfully as it did nine years ago: Kovac’s squad has a chance to set a club record on Saturday in their away game against Union Berlin (3:30 p.m., live on Sky). The matchup with the Köpenick-based team follows a particular pattern...

A year ago, the Black and Yellows also kicked off the Bundesliga season with an outstanding 13 points from their first five matches. That was followed by a 2-2 draw in the top-of-the-table clash against Leipzig. Now the Borussians have the chance to do (even) better and tie the club record with an away win at 1. FC Union Berlin: 16 points from the first six matches have been achieved three times so far, most recently in 2017–18—never before have they earned more at such an early stage.

To do so, however, it’s absolutely essential to score the first goal of the match! Why? The team that took a 1-0 lead has always won this matchup—whether in the league (14 meetings, 10 BVB wins) or in the DFB Cup (two matchups, two BVB wins).

Another notable fact: There has never been a tie! None of the 14 Bundesliga matches between the two teams ended in a draw. No other matchup in Bundesliga history has occurred so frequently without the teams ever splitting the points.

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For the “Eisernen” from Köpenick, the “Black and Yellows” from the former steel-making region have become a true bogey team. Union Berlin has lost more often to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga than to any other team (ten times, including six of the most recent seven matchups). BVB has won all three of their most recent encounters, scoring 12 goals to none.

Former Union player Julian Ryerson has also played a part in this. The Norwegian has scored two of his seven Bundesliga goals for BVB so far in matches against his former club. Should he come away empty-handed on Saturday, hopes will rest on Serhou Guirassy. The striker has scored eight goals in eight games against Union! (br)

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