Match Report
Gittens, Bensebaini and Guirassy fire BVB to 3-0-win in Zagreb
BVB faced a slippery pitch and a solid defence at the Maksimir stadium. Jamie Gittens unlocked it in the 41st minute to give the Black & Yellows a deserved 1-0 lead at half-time. Ramy Bensebaini increased the advantage in the 56th minute with a header, and substitute Serhou Guirassy scored in the 90th minute to seal a 3-0 win.
Scenario:
The Croatian title holders and cup winners opened the league phase with a 9-2 defeat away to Bayern, but at the conclusion of Matchday 4 found themselves sixteenth in the table, one place ahead of the Munich side. Dortmund were in seventh place with three wins and one defeat from their first four matches.
Personnel matters:
Can, who has been suspended in the league and also struggling with an injury, was available once again. The same applies to Guirassy (after an infection), but he started on the bench - as did Ryerson, who was replaced in the starting line-up by Gross. That was the only change to the BVB team compared to the 4-0 win over Freiburg on Saturday.
Tactics:
Playing in a 4-3-3 system, BVB came up against a Zagreb side who lined up in a very compact and defensive-minded 5-3-2 formation. The Black & Yellows sought to pick apart their opponents with diagonal balls and runs in behind down the flanks. Sabitzer and Bensebaini dropped into the half spaces in build-up play. Five players in the front line offered themselves as passing options. Zagreb dug themselves in a deep-lying defensive line and only looked to pounce on transition opportunities. The Croatians showed no interest in retaining possession.
The match & analysis:
Zagreb were content to let BVB have the ball on their home turf, allowing the Black & Yellows to advance up the park and create good chances early on. Sabitzer had a shot in the penalty area in the third minute, but Bernauer was able to get in the way. A diagonal ball from Anton in behind the full-back reached Bensebaini on the left side of the penalty area. His header from an acute angle zipped past keeper Zagorac and smacked against the crossbar - a few centimetres lower and it would have ended up in the back of the net (8). After exactly a quarter of an hour, the Croatians had their first shot on goal: left-back Pierre-Gabriel drove forward up the pitch and fired a shot from 18 metres out, but his effort flew just over the target.
Borussia won the second balls and repeatedly played out strong actions on the freshly laid but slippery pitch. Sabitzer slipped a pass to Malen, who, under pressure on the half-right of the penalty area, shot just over the bar (27). Overall, however, despite their visual superiority (76% possession), there were too many misplaced passes in the final third. But soon came another massive opportunity and with it the deserved opening goal.
Stojkovic left Gittens with too much space to deliver a cross into the area, which Malen headed goalwards from a tight angle, but the Zagreb keeper got his hands up in time to make the save (41). Seconds later, the ball found itself back at the feet of Gittens on the left. The Englishman cut inside and blasted an unstoppable effort into the top-right corner from 15 metres out.
Dortmund came back out of the dressing room without their captain for the evening: Brandt, who had apparently injured his thigh immediately after the opening goal but returned to the pitch seconds before the break, was unable to continue. Ryerson came on and Gross moved up into midfield to operate alongside Sabitzer.
BVB continued to patiently prove their opponents and soon took advantage of a set-piece to make it 2-0. Firstly, Nmecha played a somewhat overhit corner from Gross back across goal. The ball fell to Schlotterbeck, who shot on the turn, but Zagorac turned the ball out for another corner. This one - delivered by Gross once again - was launched precisely into the centre to Bensebaini, who headed home to make it 2-0 for BVB (56). Shortly afterwards, Beier, Gittens and Sabitzer were withdrawn to recharge their batteries for the upcoming Bayern clash; Guirassy, Duranville and Reyna came on to replace them (61). In the 65th minute, Malen had a golden opportunity to make it 3-0 after Nmecha won the ball in midfield, but Zagorac denied him with a fantastic save.
Zagreb switched up their personnel and system and now looked to go toe-to-toe with BVB. But it was to little avail. The Black & Yellows occasionally found themselves sitting too deep, but the second away win of the Champions League season was never in doubt. In the final minute, Schlotterbeck hit a sharp ball into the area from the halfway line, which deflected off a defender and landed at the feet of Guirassy, who found himself alone in front of goal to bring the final score 3-0.
Outlook:
BVB's UEFA Champions League campaign continues on 11 December with a home match against FC Barcelona. Before that, BVB will face Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga (Saturday, 18:30 CET) and Borussia Mönchengladbach the following Saturday.
Boris Rupert
Teams & goals
UEFA Champions League, Matchday 5
DINAMO ZAGREB 0–3 (0-1) BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Dinamo Zagreb: Zagorac – Ristovski, Theophile, Bernauer, Torrente, Pierre-Gabriel – Rog, Pavic (73, Hoxha), Stojkovic (62, Pjaca) – Baturina (62, Kulenovic), Kacavenda (73, Spikic)
Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Gross, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini – Nmecha – Sabitzer (61, Reyna), Brandt (46., Ryerson) – Malen (75,, Couto), Beier (62, Guirassy), Gittens (61, Duranville)
Bank: Filipovic, Ogiwara, Mbuku – Lotka, Meyer, Kabar, Campbell, Can
Goals: 0-1 Gittens (41), 0-2 Bensebaini (56., corner Gross), 0-3 Guirassy (90., Schlotterbeck)
Corners: 3-8 (2-4 at half-time), chance ratio: 1-9 (1-5)
Referee: Turpin (France), bookings: Torrente, Baturina, Kulenovic – Bensebaini
Attendance: 24, 851 (sold-out), weather: dry following rainfall, 6 degrees celsius