Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Annoyed by the second division bottom
Only the joker ends the agony of BVB
Borussia Dortmund is the clear favorite in the second round of the DFB Cup, but the defending champion has a long hard time against FC Ingolstadt. The bottom of the second division holds the zero longer than expected. Until BVB coach Marco Rose changes and brings a double packer.
Blitz joker Thorgan Hazard led Borussia Dortmund over a very low hurdle on a dreary cup evening. Against the bottom of the second division FC Ingolstadt, the defending champion got bogged down with a better B-Eleven, but made it back to the second round in the 2-0 (0-0) thanks to two goals by the Belgian who came on late.
No more than 25,130 spectators wanted to see the first of three BVB home games within eight days – those who stayed at home missed little. Hazard (72./81.), Who had come on the field 120 seconds earlier, scored the decisive goals after two Dortmund crossbar hits for a team that had long fruitlessly besieged the opponent’s penalty area without ten injured professionals.
Just don’t “crumble”, coach Marco Rose had instructed his team – “otherwise you can lose at home to Ingolstadt”. Due to the tense personnel situation, he distributed the regeneration vouchers rather cautiously: Marco Reus (for 70 minutes), central defender Manuel Akanji (for 82 minutes) and the already ailing goalkeeper Gregor Kobel were spared. Donyell Malen, the regular replacement for the injured Erling Haaland, was absent due to illness, and Steffen Tigges stormed with the recommendation of two third division goals this season.
Buntic prevents Tigges’ opening goal
The siege began – except for one shot by Jude Bellingham (12th), but without any significant degrees, which was not surprising in the absence of a striker. The switch to a defensive triple chain had created space for an additional offensive player. Ingolstadt defended disciplined in two rows of five, had very seldom control of the ball and barely made it over the center line. Marc Stendera at least tested Marwin Hitz with a free kick (33.).
Dortmund was slowly becoming more compelling. Bellingham flicked against the crossbar from 18 meters (27th), before Marius Wolf had forced FCI goalkeeper Fabijan Buntic to make a remarkable parade (26th). Mats Hummels scored after a corner kick, but Emre Can had cleared his opponent with his elbow (31st). Overall, it remained tough and slow.
The second half almost started with the redeeming goal: But Tigges also failed because of Buntic, who steered the ball with his shoulder and good luck to the crossbar (52nd). BVB gradually increased the pressure to save themselves the extension – but for a long time the best opportunities were missed. Reus and Hazard should change that.