Dominating the ball from the first minute to the very last has been rare this season, perhaps even non-existent. This type of performance, where instead of trying to keep the ball far from Kobel, we play in the opposition’s field, is, of course, a Dortmund fan favorite, and this Friday night was special.
From Ryerson’s hat-trick of assists to our aerial dominance, it was a “full house” for BVB, making these match ratings a total pleasure to write, especially as my debut piece for Fear The Wall.
Niko
Kovač has found a way to extend our run to six wins in a row. While the past two games gave us nail-biting endings, this one was more relaxed, with our midfield and defenders playing in sync, even with Nico Schlotterbeck’s absence due to a yellow card suspension. The forwards gave us everything we needed to win this game: namely, goals.
This win keeps Dortmund only three points behind first-placed Bayern Munich, increasing the pressure ahead of Der Klassiker scheduled for the 28th of this month. Here are our ratings from Friday evening’s 4-0 win against Mainz.
Starting XI
Gregor Kobel
Goran: 7
With four saves this game, Kobel added another clean sheet to his tally. His distribution was solid and his passing decisions were flawless.
Ramy Bensebaini
Goran: 6
A steady performance. While his duel stats weren’t flashy (1/5 aerial), he filled the gap left by Schlotterbeck effectively and even found himself involved in the final goal sequence.
Waldemar Anton
Goran: 8
Played a reliable and stable role at center-back. He won 50% of his duels, recorded six clearances, and helped secure the clean sheet.
Niklas Sule
Goran: 5
A bit of a mixed bag. His long-range shot and a somewhat pointless yellow card made him look a bit sluggish. However, his passing was elite, finishing at 97% (31/32).
Daniel Svensson
Goran: 7
A reliable engine who kept going for 90 minutes. Won his duels and offered constant support on the right flank.
Julian Ryerson
Goran: 10 ⭐️
A perfect hat-trick of assists makes Ryerson the undisputed Man of the Match! His crosses for Guirassy and Beier were pinpoint. He also forced the own goal for the fourth. Defensively, he put in a solid performance, winning 60% of his duels.
Jobe Bellingham
Goran: 7
Bellingham played solid all game long. With a game-high five interceptions, he accomplished his defensive duties perfectly. After his recent suspension, Jobe has really picked up the pace and is starting to show his potential.
Felix Nmecha
Goran: 7
Once again, Nmecha was the driving force in transition. He carried the ball with confidence, though he was slightly less decisive in the box than in previous weeks. Defensively he didn’t have to do much.
Julian Brandt
Goran: 6
Tonight’s captain had a quiet night. With only 67% passing accurately and 0.03 expected assists, Brandt is lucky he wasn’t pulled off on the half time. He’ll be looking to find his spark again vs Atalanta.
Maximilian Beier
Goran: 7
A great hour of play. Scored a difficult header and was a constant threat on the wing during the buildup.
Serhou Guirassy
Goran: 9
He’s back. Serhou Guirassy is back. With 5 goals in the last 3 games, we are finally starting to see our last season’s in-form Guirassy. Near perfect performance from our 9, definitely a key in tonight’s dominant performances in attack for BVB.
Substitutes
Luca Reggiani
Goran: 7
Although he officially debuted last game, tonight he had a chance to play 45 minutes replacing Sule and he put in a great performance. With 40/43 accurate passes and 3/4 duels won, Reggiani is starting to show his potential to the big scene and we are yet to see his best.
Carney Chukwuemeka
Goran: 6
Chukwuemeka replaced Brandt and it didn’t make any difference in our game, earning a yellow card in the process.
Fabio Silva
Goran: 6
Silva has been playing exceptionally this season, but tonight nothing went his way. Out of frustration he also earned a yellow card. In attack, he looked committed, however, he didn’t really threatened Batz.
Karim Adeyemi, Marcel Sabitzer
N/A
Match Summary
- The Result: Dortmund’s 4-0 victory over Mainz at Signal Iduna Park extends their unbeaten Bundesliga run to 15 games and marks their 6th consecutive win.
- Key Performers: Julian Ryerson was the star, providing three assists in the first half alone, becoming the first BVB player to do so in a single half since the early Opta era. Serhou Guirassy continued his tear with two goals (10′, 42′), while Maximilian Beier (15′) added the third. The fourth was officially ruled a Dominik Kohr own goal (84′) following a Ryerson corner.
- League Impact: Dortmund moves to 51 points, sitting just 3 points behind leaders Bayern Munich (54 pts), who play Werder Bremen tomorrow. This sets up a massive “title-decider” atmosphere for Der Klassiker on February 28th.
- Managerial Note: Niko Kovač has successfully tightened the defense, as Dortmund remains the only team in the league yet to lose at home this season, conceding only 8 goals at the Westfalenstadion.
Your Thoughts?
What did you make of BVB’s dominant performance on Friday evening? Did it make you have a stress-free weekend? Let us know in the comments.
