Strong RB Leipzig desperate
First BVB does magic, then it shakes mightily
3/3/2023 10:26 p.m
Borussia Dortmund temporarily takes over the top of the table in the Bundesliga, increasing the pressure on FC Bayern. In what was initially a spectacular, then passionate top game, the Black and Yellows defeated the guests from Leipzig with skill and luck.
The unbeatable serial offenders from Borussia Dortmund made an impressive statement on their Bayern hunt and shook off RB Leipzig. BVB won the highly intense top game on Friday evening 2-1 (1-0) and secured at least one night at the top of the table with the club record of eight league wins in a row. Bayern Munich can counter on Saturday at VfB Stuttgart.
Borussia moderated the Leipzig onslaught as uncompromisingly as they have done with all opponents in recent weeks. Marco Reus (21st) converted a penalty kick and rose to become the second best goal scorer in club history (159), a shot from Emre Can (39th) deflected RB professional Xaver Schlager into the goal. The majority of the 81,365 spectators sang of the championship title, ten wins in ten competitive games since the beginning of the year offered every reason to do so.
Leipzig missed the opportunity to open a four-way battle for the cup with a win. The cup winners are seven points behind and must see to securing another qualification for the Champions League. Emil Forsberg (74th) scored for RB.
No beer with Aki Watzke
RB coach Marco Rose had greeted his old BVB acquaintances in a friendly manner, and there were also “two or three phone calls” in advance. In terms of sport, he was also happy for the first time, because Christopher Nkunku, Germany’s footballer of the year, made his comeback in the RB starting eleven after 111 days. Only the Pils with BVB Managing Director Hans-Joachim Watzke after the final whistle was canceled: Rose has not been drinking alcohol since January 1st.
Dortmund lacked the outstanding support of the past few weeks for a very short time. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel got muscle problems while warming up, Nico Schlotterbeck saved the occasionally shaky representative Alexander Meyer with a tackle against Nkunku before the first test (4th). After winning the ball, Leipzig played steeply into the top, where the immediately very present Nkunku and Andre Silva lurked dangerously.
Julian Brandt used the first BVB action perfectly, but referee Sven Jablonski took the goal back from Cologne after a call from VAR: Brandt had caught the ball on his arm (14′). Josko Gvardiol blocked his next shot, it went up and down at high speed until RB goalkeeper Janis Blaswich got Reus off his feet. The captain caught up with Michael Zorc in the record list.
Blaswich prevents the preliminary decision spectacularly
After that it got a little quieter because Dortmund’s passing chains were repeatedly interrupted and Leipzig got longer periods of ball possession. Marcel Halstenberg had the equalizer on his feet after a cross from the left (35th), but the RB attacks were initially not very consistent even after the break. Nkunku was also gone for a long time – longer pressure phases ended without precise conclusions.
BVB was solid, but found a late counterattack: Blaswich made a spectacular save against Reus (67th), Jude Bellingham, who repeatedly played deep in the first half, Can and Salih Özcan consolidated the midfield enormously – that could also be the case on Tuesday be a solution for the Champions League second leg at Chelsea (out: 1-0). On the other side, Meyer responded strongly to an Nkunku shot (70′), then Forsberg pushed the ball into the goal. In the last few minutes, Meyer again prevented a possible equalizer twice. However, Schlotterbeck delivered the most spectacular rescue operation in injury time. When he cleared a powerful shot from substitute Timo Werner with his shoulder in front of the line.