Match Report
Guirassy bags brace in 3-1 win over Shakhtar
Boris Rupert reporting
BVB took in a deserved 2-0 lead at the break thanks to a brace from Serhou Guirassy (17, 44) in front of 81,365 spectators at a sold-out SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, but gifted Marlon Gomes a goal for the opposition that made it 2-1 shortly after the restart. Borussia then lost the clarity they had played with up until that point but continued to have good chances from set-pieces and re-established their two-goal cushion with 10 minutes remaining when Bensebaini made it 3-1 following a one-two with Reyna (79).
The scenario:
This match was between the teams in 14th and 27th in the table. The two clubs were going head-to-head for the third time after the qualifying round in 2001 and the round of 16 in 2013 (three BVB wins, one draw). The Black & Yellows had lost only one of their previous 14 home games in the UEFA Champions League, while Shakhtar had lost five of their last six away games.
Personnel matters:
The injured Niklas Süle and Felix Nmecha were not available, nor was the returning Salih Özcan (ineligible to play in this competition). Interim coach Mike Tullberg made two changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Werder Bremen last time out: Marcel Sabitzer and Maximilian Beier replaced Nmecha and Pascal Groß (bench).
Tactics:
Tullberg put Beier alongside Guirassy in the centre of attack and switched from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 formation, in which Bensebaini advanced from the back four into central midfield in possession and formed a double pivot with Sabitzer, while Brandt played a central offensive role between the defence and the four-man attack that also consisted of Adeyemi and Gittens. Shakhtar looked to switch the play suddenly upon winning the ball back, but the Black & Yellows shored up their defence well in response.
The match & analysis:
Borussia Dortmund struck a good balance between ball control and powerful moves – but without ever taking excessive risks. They wanted to take an early lead but did not need to. And so it was not until the 16th minute that the first chance – and the first goal – came. Schlotterbeck played a strong ball from his own half to the right corner of the penalty area, where Adeyemi shot with his left foot and Guirassy deflected it into the net with his thigh to make it 1-0.
Ryerson was the taker of many set-pieces in this match. In the 34th minute, he played a pacey free-kick into the box from the left half of the pitch. Brandt and Beier somehow got to it, meaning that Schlotterbeck was ultimately caught by surprise when the ball found its way through to him and headed narrowly wide of the left upright (34). There was a round of applause seconds later for Can, who won the ball back on the edge of his own penalty area and initiated a strong counter-attack which culminated in Gittens getting on the ball, doing a stepover in the box and targeting the near corner, but goalkeeper Riznyk made the save.
A similar pattern preceded the goal that made it 2-0. Sabitzer cleaned up a mistake by Bensebaini on the edge of his own box and BVB launched another counter in their own stadium. After a long pass from Can, Brandt got the better of Kryskiv in the Shakhtar half and played the ball into the path of Guirassy, who could not be stopped and fired a left-footed shot through the goalkeeper's legs to extend the lead (44).
Beier, who was on a booking, stayed in the dressing room at half-time and was replaced by Groß, a set-piece specialist. But the first free-kick after the restart was delivered sharply and precisely by Ryerson towards Guirassy, who would have completed his hat-trick if Riznyk had not made an outstanding save (46). But Kobel allowed the opposition back into it shortly afterwards: he was unable to control a backpass from Groß and Marlon Gomes reacted quickly, slotting home to make it 2-1 (50).
And Dortmund? They responded with a set-piece. Ryerson crossed in a free-kick and Bensebaini met it with a header, but Riznyk made another strong stop and clawed the ball away from the top-left corner (66). Gittens then fed Guirassy, who attempted a chip from the left side of the six-yard box but only struck the side-netting (72). BVB were now playing with more control and pressure. Bensebaini raced through the defence, playing a one-two with Reyna in a centre-left position before lobbing the goalkeeper to make it 3-1 (79).
Outlook:
The draw for the round of 16 play-offs will take place on Friday, and the tournament tree from the last 16 onwards will be finalised on 21 February. BVB will travel to 1. FC Heidenheim in the Bundesliga on Saturday (15:30 CET). Mike Tullberg will also be in the dugout for that match, according to Lars Ricken.
Teams & goals
UEFA Champions League Matchday 8
Wednesday 29 January 2025, 21:00 CET
BORUSSIA DORTMUND 3-1 (2-0) SHAKHTAR DONETSK
Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Ryerson, Can, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini (Anton, 89) – Sabitzer, Brandt (Reyna, 64) – Adeyemi (Duranville, 64), Gittens (Couto, 85) – Guirassy, Beier (Groß, 46)
Shakhtar Donetsk: Riznyk – Vinicius Tobias, Bondar, Matviyenko, Azarov (Pedro Henrique, 72) – Kryskiv (Stepanenko, 89) – Zubkov (Traoré, 72), Gomes (Bondarenko, 84), Sudakov, Kevin – Pedrinho (Newertton, 84)
Substitutes: Meyer, Lotka, Wätjen, Mané, Azhil, Campbell, Kabar – Fesyun, Tvardovskyi, Faryna, Ghram, Konoplya, Shved
Goals: 1-0 Guirassy (Adeyemi, 17), 2-0 Guirassy (Brandt, 44), 2-1 Gomes (50), 3-1 Bensebaini (Reyna, 79)
Corners: 6-0 (3-0 at half-time), chance ratio: 8-3 (4-1)
Referee: Nyberg (Sweden), yellow cards: Beier – Kevin, Gomes
Attendance: 81,365 (sold-out), weather: initially dry, 5 degrees