Borussia Dortmund Player Ratings vs VfL Wolfsburg: 9/10 Haaland bags a brace; Debutant Rothe gets 8

Erling Haaland got back to goalscoring form, netting a brace in Borussia Dortmund’s 6-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg.

Borussia Dortmund continued on their winning ways after securing a thumping 6-1 victory over VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday. The three points at the Signal Iduna Park should help them further strengthen their grip on the second spot in the league table ahead of the crucial Der Klassiker next weekend.

Coming into this game on the back of an injury-laden victory over Stuttgart, coach Marco Rose was forced to make a few changes to the starting XI, with Tom Rothe notably earning his Bundesliga debut.

The youngster scored on the 24th minute, opening the scoring with a smart header. Minutes later, Axel Witsel was on hand to extend Dortmund’s lead before a 28th-minute strike from Manuel Akanji helped the hosts secure an unassailable for the home side.

In response, Wolfsburg looked extremely shaky at the back while offering little to no threat going forward. After conceding three goals inside the half-hour mark, there was much more misery at store, with Emre Can netting Dortmund’s fourth goal in the 34th minute before Erling Haaland managed to break his scoring duck in the 38th minute.

Carrying a 5-0 advantage in the second half, Dortmund took the foot off the gas pedal. But that didn’t stop them from creating chances, with Haaland scoring his second in the 54th minute. The hosts could have extended their lead further but Koen Casteels made some crucial stops while Wolfsburg themselves managed to secure a consolation goal in the 81st minute, as they capitalised on a mistake from Marin Pongracic.

Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over Borussia Dortmund players in their comprehensive victory over Wolfsburg this weekend.

Gregor Kobel: 7.5/10

Gregor Kobel made a couple of extraordinary saves to keep Wolfsburg out for over 80 minutes. Unfortunately, he was once again let down by some shoddy work at the back by Marin Pongracic and Dan-Axel Zagadou late in the game. He has been one of the shining lights for Dortmund this season and will play a key role for the club in the years to come.

Emre Can: 7/10

Emre Can had an excellent game defensively. Operating as the right-sided centre-back, he was firm and solid in dealing with the Wolfsburg frontline, as he kept Max Kruse quiet. There were a few misplaced passes here and there, but he made up for it with a goal in the first half.

Manuel Akanji: 7.5/10

Manuel Akanji looked quite dominant at the heart of the Dortmund defence. He was particularly impressive with his forward passing, as he broke the lines several times. He was rewarded for his efforts with a goal in the first half.

Dan-Axel Zagadou: 6.5/10

Dan-Axel Zagadou had a great game for the most part. He was rarely troubled by the Wolfsburg attackers, but the French-Ivorian should have been much more proactive when dealing with Ridle Baku. His failure to close him down quickly led to Wolfsburg’s only goal of the game.

Marius Wolf: 7.5/10

Marius Wolf had a topsy-turvy game on the right flank. He produced a few dream runs to completely bamboozle the Wolfsburg backline, but lacked composure and end product on occasions. Nevertheless, it was a hard-working effort from the former Eintracht Frankfurt man who may end up remaining at Dortmund this summer.

Axel Witsel: 7.5/10

In what was one of his last few matches at the Signal Iduna Park, Axel Witsel was extremely impressive in the middle of the park. He controlled the proceedings and was not afraid to launch a few forward passes. He was a bit lucky to score the goal in the first half, but it was a testament to his expert performance in midfield.

Jude Bellingham: 7.5/10

Jude Bellingham worked extremely hard for his team, carrying the ball across half-spaces and releasing passes in behind the backline. He was the orchestrator behind many Dortmund attacks, although the Englishman wasn’t able to register a single assist.

Tom Rothe: 8/10

Tom Rothe enjoyed a dream debut in the Bundesliga. Operating as the left wing-back, the tall youngster had a scratchy start to the game, but a headed goal in the 24th minute gave him all the confidence in the world. He was solid against Baku while linking up extremely well with attacking players in the final third. One for the future.

Julian Brandt: 8.5/10

Julian Brandt was one of the best performers on the pitch. Even though the German international failed to score a goal, he was pulling the strings with his expert one-touch passing and vision. He registered two assists and his set-piece deliveries caused all sorts of problems for the Wolfsburg defence.

Marco Reus: 8/10

It was yet another impressive outing for Marco Reus, who led the team by example and created multiple goalscoring opportunities in the final third. Reus’ seemingly telepathic combination play with Haaland and Brandt made life difficult for the Wolfsburg defence, with the Dortmund captain also bagging a couple of assists.

Erling Haaland: 9/10

Erling Haaland returned to scoring ways by bagging a brace against Wolfsburg. But aside from the two goals, what was particularly impressive about his performance was his selflessness. Despite being in the midst of a goal-drought, the Norweigian was always willing to provide for his teammates, as he notably registered the assist for Witsel’s effort. He did look selfish at times later on, but for good reasons.

Substitutes

Marin Pongracic: 5/10

Marin Pongracic made a mess of the ball, conceding the turnover that resulted in Wolfsburg’s only goal of the game. It was a bad look for the defender against his parent club. It seems the centre-back will not be welcome at any of the two teams come the summer transfer window.

Youssoufa Moukoko: 6/10

Youssoufa Moukoko was given a rare opportunity to perform when he came on midway through the second half. The youngster, though, couldn’t make a significant impact.

Reinier: N/A

A late replacement for Witsel. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens: N/A

A late replacement for Rothe. He didn’t have enough time to make an impact, but this could be the first of many BVB appearances for the youngster.

Lion Semic: N/A

A late replacement for Wolf. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.