While technically the first competitive match of the season, the first round of the DFB Pokal tends to be seen as a something of a final tuneup. It’s typically against a team in one of the lower divisions, and it’s usually expected that BVB will win very handily.
Usually.
We all know that this transfer window hasn’t been the strongest, and that a string of injuries on and off the pitch has meant that Die Schwarzgelben are not starting the season at 100%. Even so, against Rot-Weiss Essen, who finished
8th place in the third division, a team missing a starter here and there still should have easily won. Instead, things were much more complicated.
Dortmund set up with a back three of Filippo Mané, Waldemar Anton, and Ramy Bensebaini behind Marcel Sabitzer, Pascal Groß, and Felix Nmecha in midfield. Essen stayed compact and crowded out the center, often forcing Dortmund to play around them along the wings, or trying to play long balls to Serhou Guirassy and Maximilian Beier. While Guirassy managed to get on the end of a few balls and create chances, Beier seemed to be struggling against Essen’s physicality. Nmecha and Sabitzer were decent dropping deep in possession, but both struggled in the attacking third.
The home side weren’t completely toothless either. On two occasions in the first half, they managed to get in behind the Dortmund back line. On the first, Bensebaini was beaten outright, and if Anton hadn’t intercepted the final pass, Essen probably would’ve had a goal. On the second, Waldemar Anton was pulled much too far forward, and Bensebaini and Couto failed to time the offside trap correctly, but Kobel made the save 1-on-1 on Essen’s Ramien Safi.
In the second half, BVB’s struggles continued, although Julian Brandt and Jobe Bellingham improved the situation slightly. Guirassy created a goal essentially out of nothing. He collected the ball at the top of the box, used his strength to box out the defender, dribbled to find open space, and thrashed a shot that curled along the ground and somehow found its way into the corner.
Essen never really threatened to equalize. The only damage they did was a vicious tackle by Kelsey Owusu, who flew into a dangerous tackle on Yan Couto and rammed his studs into his knee. I have no idea how on earth it wasn’t a straight red card. Couto needed to be carried off the pitch on a stretcher.
So BVB’s first match of the season is a win. A 1-0 win against a 3rd tier club. In which we lost yet another defender to injury. I missed this club.
My Takeaways
- Before his injury, I thought that Couto was struggling. After his injury, I’m worried about what the heck this club is going to do without him. Julian Ryerson already missed the game with a calf injury. If Couto is going to miss significant time, then BVB have a serious problem.
- Anton had a strong game, with several key tackles and with very solid distribution. With Schlotterbeck out for at least another month or so, Anton is going to need to be the leader of the back line. I thought he did a great job today.
- While most of the BVB players looked rusty, the same could not be said for Guirassy. He was a nightmare for the Essen defenders to deal with. His strength and ability to create space to get a shot off were on full display. His goal was pure striker’s instinct.
Your Thoughts
What did you think of BVB’s season debut? Let me know your thoughts!
