After a tumultuous summer in which manager Edin Terzic left the club despite guiding them to the UEFA Champions League final, Der BVB struggled to gel in the opening stages as multiple new faces saw their first league minutes in Black and Yellow.
By contrast, Frankfurt looked buoyant, with new permanent acquisition Hugo Ekitike – fresh off netting a DFB Pokal double last weekend – was causing problems for the home defence both down the middle and out wide.
With this matchup producing at least four goals on eight of the previous nine occasions it had been held at this venue, the eventual 0-0 half-time scoreline came as something of a surprise.
That said, there was no shortage of effort from Hugo Larsson, who looped over on the volley, before Marcel Sabitzer flicked Karim Adeyemi’s ball too close to Kevin Trapp. If nothing else, Sahin – formerly a silky defensive midfielder for the club – will have been pleased with his side’s solidity at the back throughout the first half.
The departure of Marco Reus was bittersweet for Dortmund fans, but they have a more than capable alternative in Julian Brandt, who fired over during a dangerous start to the second period.
Still, fans had to wait until the final 20 minutes for the match to spring into life, and it did so when Fares Chaibi unbelievably spooned over when just yards away from an open goal.
That proved pivotal, as substitute Bynoe-Gittens went up the other end to brilliantly cut inside Rasmus Kristensen and whip into the far top corner.
Instead of pursuing a response to that opener, the visitors looked somewhat dejected, and Dortmund’s earlier hero stepped up again in stoppage time to put the result beyond doubt.
Bynoe-Gittens raced away on the counter to slot under trap and secure a seventh straight unbeaten meeting with their Hessen rivals.
That was surely the start Sahin has been hoping for since his promotion from assistant coach, while Frankfurt will have to improve their away form if Dino Toppmöller is to sneak his side into the top five in his second season in charge.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund)
