Match Report
09 Points from Three Games: BVB Downs Paderborn 3-0
With Nico Schlotterbeck making his return after nearly three months on the injured list, but with Greek players Konstantinos Karetsas and Giannis Konstantelias unavailable, among others, Borussia grabbed an early 1-0 lead. After an attack by the visitors was stifled, Serhou Guirassy played a long ball from deep in his own half to Fabio Silva, who pounced on a positioning error by Scheller and outsprinted two Paderborn players on his way toward the goal. The Portuguese then rounded goalkeeper Noll and slotted home from from twelve meters out (5').
The newly promoted opposition side attempted to disrupt Dortmund with its intensity and high press, looking to create chances of its own. Paderborn led the shot count 5-3 midway through the first half, one of the efforts having come off the foot of Curda, who fired a dangerous drive into the side netting (18'). Nonetheless, the Black & Yellow came closer to adding a second. Most notably, a quarter of an hour into the contest, Joey Veerman unleashed a powerful shot from 18 meters out, only to see Noll throw an arm up to parry the wicked long-range effort, which had also taken a deflection on its way in.
The BVB faithful at sold-out SIGNAL IDUNA PARK subsequently erupted in celebration two separate times, with Guirassy seeming to have made it 2-0 on each occasion, but each time VAR stepped in to correctly report offside violations. Silva (31') picked out Guirassy on the first play, and Svensson played would-be provider on the second (45'+2).
After the break, Ethan Nwaneri had a chance to make it 2-0 from 13 meters out on the right side following a pass from Guirassy, but Noll made another save (59'). Seconds later, Jobe Bellingham, whose 42nd-minute shot had missed the target by a hair, headed the ball just wide of the left post. Guirassy was subsequently denied by the goalkeeper on two occasions (62’ & 80’). Despite the chances, Borussia failed to put the game out of reach, causing some in the stands to grow increasingly restless. However, Felix Nmecha would put them out of their anxious state. After a give-and-go with fellow substitute Maxi Beier, Nmecha slammed the ball into the net to double the advantage (80'). Then, four minutes later, Marcel Sabitzer - yet another substitute - hit the crossbar, followed by a stunning Nmecha tally that saw the Germany international bury a Sabitzer cross by way of an acrobatic bicycle kick for 3-0 (89').
Next up for BVB is an away clash with VfB Stuttgart on Saturday, September 19 (CEST).
Borussia Dortmund – SC Paderborn 3–0 (1–0)
Bundesliga, Matchday 3 Saturday, September 12, 2026, 3:30 p
.m. BVB: Kobel – Gadou, Anton, Schlotterbeck (77' Bensebaini) – Ryerson (77' Beier), Veerman (65' Nmecha), Bellingham, Svensson – Nwaneri (65' Sabitzer) – Guirassy, Silva (65' Chukwuemeka)
Bench: Meyer, Prates, Albert, Reggiani
Unavailable: Can (torn ACL), Inacio (red card suspension), Karetsas (circulatory issues), Konstantelias (torn ACL), Lerma (muscle injury), Mane (muscle injury)
SC Paderborn: Noll – ter Horst, Scheller, Hansen (82' Philippe) – Curda (67' Lippmann), Castaneda, Obermair – Ulrich (78' Duric), Vidovic (67' Batista Meier) – Pieringer, Marino (67' Tigges)
Bench: Schubert, Götze, Sticker, Baack
Goals: 1-0 Silva (5', Guirassy), 2-0 Nmecha (80', Beier), 3-0 Nmecha (89', Sabitzer)
Yellow cards: Bellingham – Ulrich
Referee: Osmers (from Hannover)
Attendance: 81,365 (sellout) at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK
Boris Rupert
