In a game of two halves, Dortmund do just enough to secure a victory against the perplexingly relegation threatened Wolfsburg. After largely controlling the first half, save for some fast breaks by Wolfsburg, BVB let the game and their lead slip. For a moment, it looked like Wolfsburg could even snag a victory, threatening to derail the “title race”. Guirassy made sure that would not be the case, and the game ended 2-1.
As a whole, the Dortmund side performed pretty well, though they were guilty of
some cheap mistakes (cough cough Schlotti), and struggled mightily to breakdown the double decker bus that Wolfsburg parked in front of goal. Crosses were generally useless and most shots failed to reach Grabara, with only 4 out of 21 making it through. The team did enough in the end, and despite how many chances Mohamed Amoura squandered, they probably deserved the victory.
On to the plaudits:
Felix Nmecha
Much focus will be on Felix Nmecha this match, who returned to his old side to deliver a solid performance. Great passing and progressive dribbling summed up his game, of all Dortmund players, he succeeded the most in pushing the ball up the pitch and into dangerous positions. While his shooting was largely ineffectual, he played a great hand in setting up the winning goal, with a neat pass to Silva, followed by an intelligent dummy that let Guirassy seal the deal. The ex-Wolfsburg man is quickly growing to become one of Dortmund’s most consistent and important performers, and games like this continually justify his once contentious transfer.
Julian Brandt
Brandt’s unlikely goal set the game in motion for Dortmund, and he provided a constant attacking threat throughout the match. Scattered about all sides of the pitch, he matched Nmecha in his offensive output, serving as the best creative outlet of the three attackers up top. Good performance from the BVB veteran in a tough match.
Nico Schlotterbeck
Were it not for his daft handball, Schlotterbeck could very well be the top candidate for MOTM. Beyond that mistake, he delivered once more, capably leading the defensive line and shutting down many Wolfsburg counters. Further praise for his well-placed long balls that opened up new fronts on the attack, along with marauding runs that injected another threat into the attack. Ought to start a GoFundMe to pay for his contract renewal.
Serhou Guirassy
What could have been a quiet night for the big man changed with his match winner. Shut out and forced to fight tooth and nail for ever ball by the Wolfsburg defenders, he was clinical when it mattered. Showed up at a critical moment, and that is what counts the most.
Your Thoughts?
Despite how close the match was at one point, I thought the team did well in all. Luck was definitely on their side, with ever-present danger Amoura scuffing way too many golden opportunities. Win is a win, and the gap is at least temporarily three points.
What do you guys think of these picks? Anyone who should have made the cut? Will Fabio Silva break his curse? Let us know below in the comments!
