Both H2Hs last season ended in 3-2 Dortmund wins, and the last seven meetings before this clash averaged four goals per game, so many will have been expecting a blockbuster clash. The hosts, while still adapting to life after Erling Haaland, netted in a 37th consecutive league game in Dortmund to take the lead. Jamie Bynoe-Gittens’ pass was fizzed into Julian Brandt, who produced a perfect deft touch to find the onrushing Reus. The Schwarzgelben skipper finished with aplomb, and has now opened the scoring an incredible 60 times throughout his Bundesliga career.
Edin Terzić’s men seized complete control after breaking the deadlock, and Anthony Modeste spurned a huge chance to double the lead when he uncharacteristically failed to hit the target with his header. Moments later, he turned provider for Bynoe-Gittens, but the youngster also wasted his opening. Hoffenheim were hanging on, and were perhaps fortunate to avoid conceding a penalty when Ozan Kabak seemed to deliberately block Marius Wolf’s cross with his arm.
Visiting goalkeeper Oliver Baumann was on hand to deny Jude Bellingham and Reus in the minutes approaching HT, but it wasn’t all positive for Dortmund, who lost Bynoe-Gittens to an apparent shoulder injury. André Breitenreiter’s men were soundly outplayed before the interval, and the German manager responded, making a triple substitution during the break in an effort to improve his team’s fortunes.
The changes had a positive effect, with Georginio Rutter and Andrej Kramarić having good chances to equalise. In fact, the visitors had more shots in the eight minutes following HT than they managed in the entire first half. Hoffenheim’s clear improvement spread anxiety through the home crowd, who had seen their side lose a two-goal lead in the 89th minute in their last game on this ground.
With that collapse fresh in his mind, Terzić introduced Niklas Süle and switched to a back-five in an attempt to solidify his defence. The change worked well, and Dortmund closed out an important victory. The visitors’ away form will be a slight concern to Breitenreiter, with the Kraichgauer earning just four points from their last seven road trips in the Bundesliga.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund)
