Jadon Sancho was the bright only bright spot as Borussia Dortmund slumped to a humiliating 4-2 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach.
Borussia Dortmund’s unforgettable week continues as they slumped to yet another defeat in the Bundesliga – this time, it was against Borussia Monchengladbach, who ended their 11-game losing streak against the Black and Yellows with a remarkable 4-2 triumph at the Borussia Park on Friday night.
It was an entertaining game to watch from a neutral perspective, with Gladbach, in particular, scoring in the first minute of the game through Florian Neuhaus. The goal was later disallowed by VAR, though it did not take long for Foals to eventually find the back of the net as they scored the opener in the 11th minute through Nico Elvedi.
Borussia Dortmund flaunted their attacking firepower soon after, with Erling Haaland notably bagging a brace that was cancelled by Elvedi, who netted his brace in the 32nd minute. The two sides went into half-time, levelled at 2-2. It was a miserable second half for Dortmund, however, as they were too open at the back, allowing Gladbach to launch deadly counter-attacks.
As a result, they conceded the third goal early on when Ramy Bensebaini’s effort found the back of the net before Marcus Thuram eventually sealed the win for the Fohlenelf with a late strike. Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over these two sides following this entertaining game in the Bundesliga on Friday.
Borussia Monchengladbach
Yann Sommer: 7.5/10
Yann Sommer made a few excellent saves to keep his team in the contest, though the Swiss international could have done nothing to deny Haaland’s brace in the first half.
Stefan Lainer: 8/10
One of the most in-form full-backs in the Bundesliga currently, Stefan Lainer fought like a warrior on the right side of the Gladbach defence, minimising the influence of the Dortmund wingers on the flanks.
Matthias Ginter: 8/10
Matthias Ginter had an excellent game in the Gladbach defence despite conceding two goals. He was solid in the air and made a number of clearances that could otherwise have found a Dortmund player inside the box.
Nico Elvedi: 10/10
Nico Elvedi is definitely a strong contender to be the Man of the Match. The Swiss international showcased his predatory instincts by scoring a brace in the first half whilst forming a solid defensive partnership alongside Ginter – making it difficult for Dortmund to find a goal in the second half.
? | FOCUS
Nico Elvedi vs Borussia Dortmund:
⏱️ 90' played
? 68 touches
⚽️ 2 goals
? 2 shots/2 on target
? 3/3 acc. long balls
? 48/53 acc. passes
? 5 clearances (most)
? 4 interceptions
? 0 times dribbled past
? 8.9 SofaScore ratingWhat a performance! ?#BMGBVB pic.twitter.com/efISxNhpwW
— SofaScore (@SofaScoreINT) January 22, 2021
Ramy Bensebaini: 8.5/10
Ramy Bensebaini initially had a slow start to the game, but eventually became a crucial outlet for Gladbach out wide. His determination, work-rate and fighting spirit were commendable, to say the least.
Denis Zakaria: 7.5/10
Denis Zakaria had a difficult time slotting into the centre-back role in the first-half, as Dortmund ran rings around the Gladbach backline. Looked more at ease after the interval.
Christoph Kramer: 8/10
Christoph Kramer had an excellent game at the base of the Gladbach setup. His work-ethic in midfield combined with his ability to read the game were crucial in preventing Dortmund from dominating the proceedings.
Florian Neuhaus: 9/10
Neuhaus made quite an impact with his tenacity and creativity in the middle of the park. He was. in fact, the architect behind two of Gladbach’s second-half goals. An absolute phenom in midfield for the Foals.
?? Florian Neuhaus (23) deserves more love.
His shift v. BVB earlier:
☑️ 90 minutes
?️ 2 assists
✈️ 6/8 long balls
? 67 touches
❌ 4 interceptions
⚔️ 4 ball recoveries
? 4-2 winAt the center of every @borussia victory! ? pic.twitter.com/JOtZd3g8DC
— Football Wonderkids (@fbwonderkids) January 22, 2021
Jonas Hofmann: 8/10
Jonas Hofmann made some crucial contributions in this game, most notably providing the cross that found Elvedi for the all-important opener. Created some useful turnovers in midfield as well before being subbed off in the second half.
Lars Stindl: 8.5/10
Lars Stindl was the main spark behind the Gladbach attack in this game. His industry and craft made things quite difficult for Dortmund, with the German international notably contributing to the second goal with his smart free-kick.
Alassane Plea: 7.5/10
Alassane Plea may not have scored a goal against Dortmund. But, the Frenchman put in an excellent shift in the number nine role, causing problems for the opposing backline with his movement and pace.
SUBSTITUTES
Marcus Thuram: 8/10
Marcus Thuram announced his return to the pitch in an emphatic fashion as he scored the fourth goal of the game. He was a menace during the final phase of the game.
Breel Embolo: 7/10
Breel Embolo provided the pace and the physicality after coming on for Plea in the 70th minute.
Hannes Wolf: 7.5/10
Hannes Wolf caused problems for the BVB defence on the counter during the final 20 minutes of the game.
Patrick Herrmann: N/A
A late replacement for Zakaria.
Borussia Dortmund
Roman Burki: 4/10
It was a miserable outing for Roman Burki in goal. The Swiss ‘keeper made an error that led to the second goal and had no answer to any of Gladbach’s four goals.
Mateu Morey: 5/10
Mateu Morey looked industrious at times, but his lack of experience and guile allowed Gladbach to run rings around the Dortmund defence, with their attacks originating from his side.
Manuel Akanji: 4/10
Manuel Akanji simply was not competent enough to even deal with defenders like Elvedi. Had good moments but needs to improve his consistency if he is to become a top-class defender.
Mats Hummels: 2/10
Mats Hummels is having the worst week of his footballing career as yet another dismal performance against Gladbach saw him get beaten in duels left and right. Not the leader BVB want at the moment.
Speaking to @DAZN_DE after #BMGBVB:
Mats Hummels: "It was another game we lost because of set-pieces."
Marco Reus: "We keep repeating ourselves in the last few weeks with individual errors that lead to goals. If we don't stop that then it's hard to win games." pic.twitter.com/9J5Pf9nMAX
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) January 22, 2021
Raphael Guerreiro: 1/10
While Akanji and Hummels had difficulties dealing with the opposition, Raphael Guerreiro was by far the worst performer on the pitch. The Portuguese international was lacklustre with his forward passes and his lack of defensive prowess made it easier for the Foals to dominate BVB on the counter.
Jude Bellingham: 5/10
It was a reality check for Jude Bellingham, who struggled to impose his authority against the likes of Kramer and Neuhaus in midfield. The Englishman got dispossessed way too easily at times and simply needs to do better.
Emre Can: 4/10
Emre Can created a couple of excellent turnovers in the first half and mostly looked decent. However, an awful second half display meant he not only struggled to cope with the pressure but also failed to win an aerial duel against Thuram, thus leading to the fourth goal.
Jadon Sancho: 7/10
Jadon Sancho was almost unplayable in the first half, with his mesmerising skills playing a key role in both the goals that were scored by Haaland. His form waned in the second half as the winger struggled to provide the penetration required.
Jadon Sancho is now level with Lionel Messi for most assists (23) over the last two seasons among Europe’s top five leagues ?
Only Thomas Müller (30) and Kevin De Bruyne (30) have more. pic.twitter.com/NHkZquCSfQ
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 22, 2021
Marco Reus: 5/10
Marco Reus produced a bad display against Gladbach, which was surprising given the excellent record against his former team. The German international looked out of ideas and was replaced during the final phase of the game.
Julian Brandt: 6/10
Julian Brandt looked bright with some of his touches and movements. But, the former Bayer Leverkusen star simply could not provide the consistency needed to sustain the pressure on the Gladbach defence.
Erling Haaland: 6/10
Erling Haaland may have scored a stunning brace in the first half, but the Norwegian looked very sloppy at times, notably missing an excellent chance created by Morey in the second half. His passes were also off the mark, thus leading to a frustrating end to the game.
SUBSTITUTES
Giovanni Reyna: 6.5/10
Giovanni Reyna produced a couple of magical moments after coming on for Reus, but they were not enough to help Dortmund stage an extraordinary comeback.
Youssoufa Moukoko: N/A
A late replacement for Bellingham. Tested Sommer once, but it was too little too late.
Steffen Tigges: N/A
A late replacement for Morey.
