Nnext top game lost, first title lost: four days after falling from the top of the Bundesliga table, Borussia Dortmund was knocked out of the DFB Cup. BVB lost 0: 2 (0: 1) to defending champion RB Leipzig on Wednesday evening, who thus overcame their own crisis after the last three defeats. For BVB coach Edin Terzic, who won the title against RB in 2021, it was the first defeat in the cup. Now the 40-year-old can concentrate fully on the championship, which BVB has not yet written off despite the recent defeat against Bayern Munich.
In front of 47,069 fans, Timo Werner (22nd minute) used one of Leipzig’s many chances to take the lead. Up until then, BVB had been completely off the mark, Mats Hummels, who had started for the injured national player Nico Schlotterbeck, was unlucky when conceding a goal. Willi Orban scored the second goal in a gripping final phase in the eighth minute of extra time.
The victory against his former employer has given Leipzig coach Marco Rose a few quieter days than last. Not only had his team lost three times in a row, they hadn’t scored a goal either. Leipzig is still convinced of the coach and wants to renew the contract that runs until summer 2024. “We want to extend with Marko, that’s clear,” said sports director Max Eberl on ZDF before kick-off.
Leipzig like unleashed
The first half proved that Rose can set the team up correctly for such a top game. Leipzig played like unleashed, producing a number of great chances. Konrad Laimer should have scored after three minutes after a Werner hack, and BVB keeper Gregor Kobel saved a flutter ball from Dani Olmo (6th). Six minutes later the goalkeeper was just there with his toe and defused another attempt by Olmo. The Spanish playmaker was back in the starting XI for the first time since late January through injury and put on a hugely inspiring performance.
A goal for Leipzig was only a matter of time – and it came after a little over 20 minutes. Central defender Mohamed Simakan ventured to the other side of the pitch, making Hummels look bad and passing flat to Werner in the centre. The tactical switch from Rose to a three-man chain, which is actually not that popular with the players, worked. Mentally, Leipzig were fully focused, aware of every situation and greedy for the ball.
Rewarded his team’s strong performance: Timo Werner celebrates his opening goal in Leipzig against Borussia Dortmund.
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Image: dpa
And BVB? Apparently still hampered by the 2:4 in Munich, the team couldn’t get anything going offensively. The team sometimes had problems playing the ball out of their own half without an accident. This led to numerous switching opportunities for Leipzig. Werner missed another big chance (39′) when he ran towards Kobel alone, but put the ball inaccurately across to Laimer.
Terzic reacted during the break, switched to two strikers and also a back three. Youssoufa Moukoko joined the previously inconspicuous Donyell Malen, national player Marius Wolf had to go down. Emre Can moved back into the defensive line from midfield. However, two almost identical formations initially led to both teams neutralizing each other. However, BVB was now much better into the game and gave Leipzig a few brain teasers.
After a good hour, Terzic brought in his midfield star Jude Bellingham, who had been rotated out of the starting XI after the stresses of the past few weeks. However, Leipzig had the next big chance, Laimer (78th) appeared completely free in front of Kobel, the BVB goalkeeper parried once more. Up front, BVB was still acutely lacking in goal danger. Up until the 80th minute, Dortmund didn’t have a single shot on goal in their statistics. At Leipzig there were nine by then. Orban finally put the finishing touches.