Jadon Sancho grabs a brace in the absence of Erling Haaland as Borussia Dortmund secure a crucial 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig this weekend.
Borussia Dortmund enter the top four of the Bundesliga table, albeit temporarily, after securing a vital 3-2 win over RB Leipzig at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.
It was an interesting game for the Black and Yellows, who adopted a rather awkward long-passing style of play despite the absence of Erling Haaland upfront. They did, however, rely heavily on quick interplay, which led to their opener in the seventh minute as Marco Reus dribbled past a couple of Leipzig players to draw first blood.
The cagey yet entertaining first-half failed to yield any more goals, but Dortmund started the second half brightly once again. They even doubled their lead through Jadon Sancho in the 51st minute. However, a 60th-minute substitution of Mahmoud Dahoud turned the game on its head, as BVB’s decision to take the foot off the gas pedal allowed Leipzig to swoop in.
Die Roten Bullen pulled one back in 63rd minute through Lukas Klostermann before Dani Olmo levelled the score in the 77th minute. There was still time for late drama, however, as Sancho doubled his tally and scored the all-important winner in the 87th minute through an excellent counter-attack – sealing all three points for his team.
Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over Borussia Dortmund players in their crucial win over RB Leipzig this weekend.
Marwin Hitz: 7/10
Marwin Hitz made a couple of crucial saves early on to keep Leipzig at bay, looking very alert in between the sticks. Unfortunately, his night was cut short after an injury that forced him off at half-time, as he made way for Roman Burki at the start of the second half. Not a good sign for Dortmund at such a crucial stage of the season.
Lukasz Piszczek: 7/10
Lukasz Piszczek looked lethargic in certain stages of the game and it not the usual comfortable game for the veteran at right-back. However, he still deserves a lot of credit for his athleticism, as he kept up with the Leipzig defenders throughout the game, despite his age. He was also the most solid defender in the Dortmund backline this evening.
Someone needs to go up to Pizczek and let him know he’s the best RB in the league still
— Billy (@Billyinho7) May 8, 2021
Manuel Akanji: 6.5/10
Manuel Akanji struggled to produce any exceptional display at the heart of the Dortmund defence. He looked unsure in regards to his positioning, visibly confused by Leipzig’s attacking scheme. As such, the centre-back had very little influence in the game, though he did not commit any defensive errors while also looking very composed in possession.
Mats Hummels: 5/10
Mats Hummels was one of the worst performers in the game for Borussia Dortmund. He always looked uncomfortable in dealing with Hee-chan Hwang, and it became evident in the second half when the South Korean international drifted past him to assist the equaliser for Leipzig. Even aside from that goal, Hummels looked very shaky at the back, publicly apologising for his performance shortly after the game.
Raphael Guerreiro: 7.5/10
Raphael Guerreiro had a mixed game on the left hand side of the backline. Defensively, the Portuguese international looked all over the place, offering very little support and no competence at all in aerial duels.
This Guerreiro – Sancho connection is quite something.#BVB #BVBRBL pic.twitter.com/F1YHxzwmR5
— Between The Posts (@BetweenThePosts) May 8, 2021
He even struggled with his decision-making and execution going forward, though it was his offensive forays down the flanks that made life difficult for the Leipzig defenders, even originating most of Dortmund’s attacks. In fact, the left-back assisted two of the three goals for Die Schrwarzgelben.
Emre Can: 6/10
It was yet another questionable performance from Emre Can in a crucial game. While the former Liverpool star did not really commit any errors in possession, he looked very vulnerable. It was, however, his marking from set pieces that led to Leipzig’s opener from Lukas Klostermann. Took a lot of risks, as usual.
Mahmoud Dahoud: 9/10
Mahmoud Dahoud was the star of the show against RB Leipzig, controlling the midfield with his crisp passing and ice-cold dribbling, even in tight areas of the pitch. The midfielder carried the ball well, too, effortlessly evading Leipzig’s second line of press while also dropping deep to build up from the back.
#BVBRBL Mahmoud Dahoud
3/3 dribbles
2 key passes
30/36 passes
3/6 long balls
46 touches
60 minutes— BVBstatistics (@BVBstat) May 8, 2021
Simply put, Dahoud was the architect of this Dortmund midfield – a performance that was produced in front of Joachim Low, thus boosting his chances of getting selected for Die Mannschaft in the upcoming Euros. Dortmund struggled shortly after his substitution as well – further indicating his importance in the side.
Giovanni Reyna: 6.5/10
Giovanni Reyna fared well in between the lines during the early stages of the game. His link-up play was particularly impressive, but the youngster found it difficult to influence the game as time progressed. During the final stretch, he looked completely drained, struggling to cover ground properly and was substituted in the 82nd minute.
Marco Reus: 7/10
Marco Reus produced an excellent solo run to score the opener for Borussia Dortmund. He led the attack from the front, often finding himself in between the sticks and causing problems for the Leipzig defenders. His influence did fade in the second half, but the German continued to work hard, especially in Dortmund’s first line of press.
Jadon Sancho: 8/10
Jadon Sancho was the difference-maker in this game, scoring two important goals, including the winner. His second goal, in particular, was impressive as the Englishman showcased excellent composure in his finish. Although the winger did appear quite wasteful on certain occasions, his overall attacking influence is simply undeniable.
What a win, what a player @Sanchooo10! ??? https://t.co/fM1jyiMcqY
— Jude Bellingham (@BellinghamJude) May 8, 2021
Thorgan Hazard: 6.5/10
Thorgan Hazard had a key role to play in the build-up to the opening goal from Reus. Unfortunately, the Belgian couldn’t impact the game much after that moment, especially in the second half. He was eventually subbed off during the final stages of the game, after looking lethargic.
Substitutes
Roman Burki: 6.5/10
Roman Burki replaced the injured Hitz, making a save just a minute after coming on in the second half. He couldn’t have done anything much to save any of the two goals scored by Leipzig, but the Swiss custodian needs to step up his game, should Hitz get ruled out for the rest of the season.
Thomas Delaney: 6/10
Thomas Delaney didn’t do much wrong after coming on. However, he replaced Dahoud, who was critical to Dortmund’s control over the game. As such, the whole team struggled during the final phase of the game.
Julian Brandt: 7/10
Julian Brandt’s introduction in the 72nd minute seemed insignificant, considering his performances this season. However, the German showed excellent determination to win the ball back for his team and it was his calculated pass that led to Dortmund’s counter-attack for the third goal.
Ansgar Knauff: N/A
A late replacement for the tiring Reyna. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
