1-0: Gündogan heads BVB to a fourth win this season

Boris Rupert reporting

As, at 2224 local time referee Zwayer finally brought an end to the four minutes of time added on, the Signal Iduna Park shook to its very rafters. The relief was tangible for the Black and Yellows at a win secured by a Gündogan header on 17 minutes. Aubameyang had two efforts chalked off for offside and also hit a post.

The Scenario:

BVB came into the game having won just one of their last ten league games while visitors Hoffenheim, on twenty points, had seven more than at the same stage last season. That said, they had experienced defeat in three of their last four games.

Personnel Matters:

BVB made five changes to their starting eleven. Hummels returned for the first time since sustaining his ankle injury in Munich which meant Ginter returned to the bench; Schmelzer, Gündogan and Ramos also started in place of Durm, Kagawa and Großkreutz. Weidenfeller was replaced in goal by Langerak whilst Reus and Kuba remained unavailable for selection.

Tactics:

With Kehl in the holding role, BVB started in a 4-1-4-1 formation. Gündogan and Bender supported Kehl with Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan wide looking to find Ramos alone up front. Hoffenheim, when defending, took up a 4-4-2 system whilst when in possession they Volland, Firmino and Rudy supported Schipplock up front.

The Game and Analysis:

It was a pretty scrappy first half full of misplaced passes from both sides. Borussia often sought a way forward with long balls but with Ramos alone up front against the very tall Süle this was not overly successful.

That said, it was Schmelzer who had the first shot inside the first minute but in the main BVB found it tough to get a rhythm. It was, perhaps, hardly surprising given that not one of the players had experienced going into a game at the bottom of the table, something which no BVB player had had to contend with in over 29 years!

It truly was a poor first half with both sides surrendering possession far too often. On seventeen minutes, though, Piszczek won the ball and fed Aubameyang down the right. Looking up the young star fired in a cross which Hoffenheim keeper misjudged completely allowing Gündogan to carefully head home from the edge of the six yard box to give BVB the lead and notch his first goal since 13 April 2013.

Hoffenheim occasionally made progress towards the BVB goal, Firmino was a particular nuisance, but never really troubled the BVB goal. The Borussia defence was at its best and behind it Langerak had not a save to make throughout that first half. The only notable action in front of him came on 37 minutes when a Schipplock shot flew well wide of his goal.

The second half started with a shock for the home fans. Piszczek was adjudged to have fouled Schwegler. The ensuing free-kick by Rudy was arching towards the BVB goal only for Hummels, retreating from the wall climbed to head clear with Langerak only able to look on.

Soon it was all happening at the other end when, following the blocking of shots from Mkhitayran and Schmelzer, Kehl found the head of Aubameyang from the corner and the stadium rose as one to celebrate the second goal. The linesman’s flag was raised for offside. No-one could really understand why and replays suggested that an error had been made.

Now at last, though, the game had some fire, some passion. Borussia now began to find space and create chances such as when Ramos won the ball on halfway allowing Gündogan to find Aubameyang; a fine run saw him shrug off the attentions of three defenders before Baumann’s outstretched foot denied him a second BVB goal. Not long after, on 63 minutes, a Ramos effort was defelected for a corner from which Baumann produced a fine reflex save to deny Hummels. The ensuing corner was quickly cleared and resulted in Bender and Kehl having to defend from Firmino at the other end!

With 70 minutes gone BVB had registered 12 shots on goal compared to the visitors five. However the lead was still a fragile one with the crowd becoming increasingly anxious at some of the refereeing decisions. On 72 minutes Aubameyang had the ball in the net again but this time, correctly, it was chalked off for offside.

Indeed Aubameyang was by far the best player on the pitch and it was he, on 75 minutes, that forced Baumann to make a fine save from close range as he turned a shot onto his post. Not long after Mkhitaryan flashed a shot wide of goal.

Then it was hectic in front of the BVB goal with the visitors claiming a penalty following a tussle between Subotic and Volland but referee Zwayer waved away the claims allowing BVB to see out the four minutes of time added on without further alarm.

Teams and Goals

Bundesliga, Matchday 14
BORUSSIA DORTMUND – TSG HOFFENHEIM 1-0 (1-0)

Borussia Dortmund: Langerak – Piszczek, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer – Kehl – Aubameyang, Bender, Gündogan, Mkhitaryan – Ramos
TSG Hoffenheim: Baumann - Beck, Süle, Bicakcic, J.-S. Kim - Schwegler, Polanski - Volland, Roberto Firmino, Rudy - Schipplock
Substitutions: 80. Großkreutz for Ramos, 90.+1 Ginter for Gündogan, 90.+2 Immobile for Aubameyang - 46. Modeste for Schipplock, 78. Elyounoussi and Salihovic for Rudy and Schwegler
Goal: 1-0 Gündogan (17., Aubameyang)
Corners: 8-3 (HT 3-2), Chances: 7-1 (1-0)
Referee: Zwayer (Berlin), Yellow Cards: Kehl, Ramos - Süle, Rudy, Salihovic, Polanski
Attendance: 80,000 (sold out), Weather: dry, 2 degrees

Prospects:

Borussia host RSC Anderlecht on Tuesday (kick off 2045 CET) in their final Champions League group game. Next Saturday the Black and Yellows travel to Berlin to face Hertha BSC in the Bundesliga with the game kicking off at 1530 CET.