Well, that’s twice now BVB have failed to hold onto a lead in the league, three times this season, counting the game against Juventus. It was an uninspiring match from Niko Kovac’s men after their 4-1
battering in Manchester, and this draw will feel a lot like a loss after leading up to the 97th minute. That’s showbiz, baby.
Defensive Stability
Kovac has shown the league that BVB can defend, with one of Dortmund’s best defensive starts in over 20 years (since 2002, if I remember the commentary correctly). BVB have, as long as I’ve been a fan, never been a tremendous defensive side; I have to go all the way back to the days of Mats Hummels and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, or even Neven Subotic, to really think of a side where I felt that BVB were safe when the opposition had the ball. Kovac’s side are well on their way to becoming a defensive powerhouse, but matches like today show that an overreliance on defense remains a liability. Kovac attempted to close up shop around the 75th minute today, despite playing an inferior side who looked unlikely to mount a significant attack. Instead of continuing to dominate the ball and the game, BVB handed the keys to the defense, and the defense wrapped itself around a light post two minutes from home.
Attacking Ability?
Dortmund were not threatening today, that much is without question. BVB had the ball and the momentum, but they did not have the goals, and that is how you end up with a 1-1 draw. Dortmund didn’t seem to have a great answer to Hamburg’s defense and found themselves without a real shot on target until Carney Chukwuemeka’s strike. Not to take anything away from Carney, but that was not necessarily a well-deserved, well-earned goal; it was a strike of great technique and great luck. My point is, Dortmund were ahead because of a moment of magic, not because they looked likely to score. Hamburg challenged BVB to hit them from distance, conceding free-kicks from beyond the 18-yard box, and BVB, for their part, did nothing with those opportunities (potentially a Nmecha appearance would have made sense?). Serhou Guirassy was completely isolated this match, either getting yanked down from behind or completely marked out in the box. Chukwuemeka was active but in his own world, and Maxi Beier seemed like he didn’t know exactly what he was doing… again…
Dortmund could have pressed on for a second goal, but they didn’t. The attack was weakened by substitutions, having already played a poor game, and the message Kovac sent to Hamburg was “that’s all we got! Can we wrap this up and go home?”
Missed Opportunity
In a vacuum, I’m not that angry about a draw in this match. Hamburg are a plucky outfit. I want them to remain in the top league where they belong, and they have all the motivation in the world to beat any team that steps into the Volksparkstadion. But of course, BVB had to draw on the day when both Bayern and Leipzig dropped points. Had to. It’s these moments that actually boil my blood as a Dortmund fan, that make me want to throw my phone through the TV, tear up my jerseys, and drive off the nearest cliff. Bayern have looked unstoppable, and the one time they expose their heel, BVB are on the sidelines picking their nose. These opportunities will be rare; this may have been the last one. It may not even matter; BVB could have closed the gap to five only for Bayern to go unbeaten through May. But it’s that Dortmund DIDN’T take that chance, DIDN’T up the pressure, that has me so frustrated about this result.
Now run along and go kick about with your international buddies, have fun.
