News
BVB fall to clear 3-0 defeat in Mainz
Boris Rupert reporting from Mainz
Playing in front of 33,305 spectators in the sold-out Mewa Arena, Mainz set the course for victory early on: a goal from Barreiro (12) and two from Lee (19, 23) saw them surge into a 3-0 lead in the space of eleven minutes. BVB played much better in the second half and looked to have pulled a goal back through Moukoko, but it was chalked off due to a close offside call.
The scenario:
Four days on from reaching the UEFA Champions League final, Borussia Dortmund had a trip away to sixteenth-placed 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga. Despite their lowly position in the table, the home side came into the game on a seven-game unbeaten run. The Black & Yellows had won all of their previous six matches in Mainz.
Personnel matters:
The injured Bensebaini (knee injury) and Duranville (muscle injury) were not available. Adeyemi, Haller, Kobel, Hummels, Füllkrug and Sabitzer were all rested. There were ten changes to the starting XI from Tuesday, with only Schlotterbeck remaining.
Tactics:
The reshuffled BVB side adopted the familiar 4-3-3 formation, with Özcan in a number-six role in front of the defence and Reus and Nmecha in the more attacking half positions in midfield. Midway through the first half, the Black & Yellows switched to a 4-2-3-1 with Nmecha alongside Özcan in the double pivot. Mainz started in a 3-4-2-1, but when Dortmund had possession, wide midfielders Widmer and Caci dropped back into defence to form a five-man backline. Their midfield was then made up of four players, with either Lee or Gruda staying up front depending on the situation.,
The match & analysis:
The rays of the setting sun departed large parts of the stadium as kick-off approached, creating ideal conditions for the players after a hot early-summer afternoon in Mainz. The hosts looked nervous early on, but Borussia were unable to capitalise due to a lack of pace and precision in attack. And down the defensive end, they looked vulnerable. Mainz knocked at the door twice in quick succession: first Amiri hit the crossbar with a free-kick from 22 metres out in the seventh minute, then Widmer's header from a delivery on the left wing struck the far post just a minute later.
But by the time the clock read 22 minutes, Mainz 05 found themselves 3-0 up. First Widmer teed up Barreiro with a cutback from the byline, with the midfielder's effort leaving Meyer with no chance (12). Then the lead was doubled in the 19th minute after a misplaced pass by the BVB keeper gave Lee a chance to finish into an empty net. Four minutes later, Barreiro had time and space to pick out the onrushing Lee at the back post to make it 3-0. BVB's one real chance of the first half fell to Morey in the 27th minute, whose shot forced a strong save out of Mainz keeper Zentner.
Edin Terzic opted to make three changes at the break: Maatsen, Brandt and Sancho replaced Morey, Özcan and Malen. However, Mainz had the first chance after the restart: just 20 seconds after kick-off, Meyer had to make a strong save to deny Burkardt before Maatsen blocked Lee's effort on the rebound.
In the 52nd minute, the ball was in the Mainz goal for the first time, but the goal didn't stand, as Moukoko had started his run in a slightly offside position. The Black & Yellows had at least managed to up the tempo in this stage, playing quicker, more directly and, above all, more precisely, allowing them to combine several times in the Mainz penalty area, albeit without creating much in the way of clear-cut goalscoring opportunities. However, this phase of high pressure did not last long. Mainz's lead never came under threat. It was the first time in their 36th Bundesliga meeting with Borussia that the Rheinhessians had managed to score more than two goals.
Outlook:
BVB's final league match of the season will be at home to SV Darmstadt 98 next Saturday (15:30 CEST).
Teams & goals
Bundesliga, Matchday 33
1. FSV MAINZ 05 3–0 (3-0) BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Mainz 05: Zentner – van den Berg, Kohr, Hanche-Olsen – Widmer (77, da Costa), Barreiro, Amiri, Caci (75, Fernandes) – Gruda (87, Weiper), Lee (87, Richter) – Burkardt
Bor. Dortmund: Meyer – Wolf, Süle, Schlotterbeck, Morey (46, Maatsen) – Özcan (46, Brandt) – Reus, Nmecha (69, Pohlmann) – Malen (46, Sancho), Moukoko, Bynoe-Gittens (76, Wätjen)
Substitutes: Riess, Guilavogui, Krauß, Ajorque, Ngankam – Lotka, Can, Ryerson, Papadopoulos
Goals: 1-0 Barreiro (12, Widmer), 2-0 Lee (19), 3-0 Lee (23, Barreiro)
Corners: 4-2 (2-1 at half-time), chances: 7-2 (6-1)
Referee: Stieler (Hamburg), bookings: Hanche-Olsen, Barreiro – Reus, Schlotterbeck
Attendance: 33.305 (sold-out), weather: sunny, 25 degrees celsius