Less personnel worries, more power – the return of numerous regular staff has helped Borussia Dortmund achieve a boost in performance. In a deserved 3-0 (2-0) over favorite opponent SC Freiburg on Friday evening, football teacher Edin Terzic’s team managed to at least partially make amends for their dismal performance a week earlier in Heidenheim (0-0).
Thanks to goals from Donyell Malen (16th minute/45+7) and birthday boy Niclas Füllkrug (87th) in front of 81,365 spectators in the sold-out Signal Iduna Park, BVB consolidated fourth place in the table and thus gained 13 points from the last five league games. After fan protests, the game was interrupted for a few minutes in both halves.
“I wanted a victory for my birthday, maybe even a little cupcake, and that was part of it,” said Füllkrug after the game on DAZN and announced: “I’m giving out a meal next week and we’ll order it into the dressing room. We deserved to win and could have scored one or two more goals.”
For Freiburg, the long wait for their first success in Dortmund since 2001 continues. The current seventh-place team has not won against BVB in 16 games.
Dortmund’s coach Terzic used the recovery of several professionals to rebuild the team. The starting eleven, which had changed four positions compared to the Heidenheim game, got into the game better. Malen (13th) was already close to taking the lead when an overhead kick was saved by SC goalkeeper Noah Atubolu. Three minutes later the Dutchman did better. After a pass from Füllkrug, he delivered the ball with force and precision into the top right of the Freiburg goal.
Clear balance of power
Despite the early deficit, the guests were not as passive as in previous years when visiting Dortmund. However, she wasn’t really a threat to score. BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was only required for a header from attacker Michael Gregoritsch (21′).
Even a ten-minute break in the game did little to change the balance of power. In protest against the investor entry sought by the German Football League (DFL), BVB fans threw tennis balls and chocolate coins onto the lawn from the south stand.
When the game restarted, Dortmund were back to operating temperature more quickly. A remarkable counterattack paved the way for a 2-0 lead. Once again, top scorer Füllkrug made a name for himself as a passer when he played the ball into Malen’s path in an exemplary manner. The fast winger scored with a well-placed shot into the far corner to give his team a reassuring lead at the break.
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Even after the restart, BVB remained dominant in the game. Two brilliant saves from SC goalkeeper Atubolu on shots from Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (46′) and Füllkrug (53′) prevented Dortmund from scoring another goal. The goalkeeper was also there for a header from returnee Marco Reus (71′). Luck was on his side when new signing Ian Maatsen hit the outside post two minutes later.
Borussia was able to get over the fact that Reus missed another chance in the 75th minute and narrowly missed the goal with a shot from twelve meters. The deserved victory was no longer in danger in the final phase.