It was an vital victory within the battle for Champions League locations, “large factors” towards a neighbouring group within the desk. Because of this success, BVB have overtaken Bayer within the standings and reclaimed third place. The Black & Yellows have additionally made up floor on second-placed Leipzig, who drew 0-0 in Mönchengladbach, and at the moment are only one level behind them.
Beforehand, BVB had drawn with Leipzig and suffered defeats in Munich and Manchester. On the pre-match press convention forward of the sport towards Leverkusen, this led to questions on why the group had not but received a recreation towards an enormous opponent this season. The reply got here from sporting director Sebastian Kehl after the ultimate whistle in Leverkusen: “The group has proven that it may compete right here too. We had set ourselves quite a lot of targets for this recreation. The group applied them very well, and hopefully that may put an finish to the dialogue that we are able to’t win towards large groups this season. We deserved to win,”
Coach Niko Kovac additionally spoke in Leverkusen of a deserved victory, “even when we should always have determined the sport earlier. We had big probabilities to attain a 3rd objective.” Headers from Aaron Anselmino and Karim Adeyemi, who every scored with their solely shot on objective within the recreation , gave BVB a 2-0 lead. For summer season signing Anselmino, it was even his first shot on objective within the Bundesliga. “Once I noticed the ball coming in direction of me, I jumped. Fortuitously, the ball ended up within the objective,” defined the centre-back, including: “I’m simply completely happy. I can’t say any greater than that.”
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Within the second half, BVB had a number of probabilities to make it 3-0, which might most likely have sealed the sport. As a substitute, after the 1-2 objective, the Black & Yellows needed to combat laborious to take care of their slim lead. Kovac praised his group: “We stepped it up a notch within the second half. You must management a recreation like this so confidently right here in Leverkusen. Compliments to the lads – I like that, and that’s precisely the sort of soccer we want. We now have to win video games, and we did that at the moment towards a extremely sturdy opponent. We defended very effectively, and I’m actually pleased with that.”
The nice run in Leverkusen continues
Dortmund’s streak on the Rhine additionally continues: the Black & Yellows are unbeaten in 5 away video games in Leverkusen, choosing up 13 of a doable 15 factors from these matches. Nonetheless, the following assembly will happen at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK: on Tuesday, they’ll face Bayer Leverkusen once more within the spherical of 16 of the DFB-Pokal. After the ultimate whistle, Borussia had been already looking forward to the upcoming conflict with the Werkself. “It was recreation, but it surely was solely one in every of two. It continues on Tuesday. It’s completely different away than whenever you play at house,” stated Julian Brandt. “Now we have now the pleasure of taking part in at house on Tuesday. Video games towards Leverkusen have at all times been extraordinarily shut lately, and I anticipate the identical on Tuesday.” Gregor Kobel defined: “Tuesday will certainly be a unique recreation. However we’ll be at house. It’s vital that we construct up good power with our followers and take in that power. We wish to let that carry us into the sport and decide up the place we left off at the moment.”
With the momentum from the primary match and the Yellow Wall behind them, Borussia wish to safe their place within the quarter-finals of the DFB-Pokal. They already confirmed tips on how to beat Leverkusen on Saturday night.
Christina Reinke