TSG misses the best chances
Strange BVB storms to the top of the table with ten men
September 29, 2023, 10:29 p.m
For 20 minutes, Borussia Dortmund plays like a top team in the Bundesliga. They deserve to take the lead. Then Hummels fouls and the game ends. Nearly. Because Marco Reus scores, Hoffenheim runs, BVB plays with ten men and still wins. Also because Julian Ryerson scores an incredible goal.
Niclas Füllkrug scores, Julian Nagelsmann looks on – BVB is the leader for one night: With ten men, Borussia Dortmund has replaced their big rivals Bayern Munich as leaders of the Bundesliga after a lucky win. At the start of the 6th matchday, the runner-up won the duel against TSG Hoffenheim 3:1 (2:1). Füllkrug with his first goal in the BVB jersey (18th), Marco Reus (45th + 3) and defender Ryerson after a solo run (90th + 5) scored for Dortmund, who have been unbeaten in the league for 14 games. BVB full-back Rami Bensebaini saw yellow-red (71′). Hoffenheim missed numerous chances and suffered another defeat after four wins in a row. Andrej Kramaric’s goal from a penalty kick (25′) didn’t change that.
“We know what things we still need to improve,” said BVB coach Edin Terzic on DAZN shortly before kick-off. The coach put captain Emre Can and Niklas Süle on the bench, as he did last time. Former captain Reus and Füllkrug played again from the start. As was the case last time, the injured Marcel Sabitzer was missing. The 30,150 spectators in the sold-out Sinsheim Arena, including the new national coach and former TSG coach Nagelsmann, saw an intensive initial phase from both sides. BVB winger Donyell Malen missed the first chance (15th).
Three minutes later Füllkrug took advantage of a devastating mistake by Hoffenheim defense chief John Anthony Brooks. The national striker finished freely in front of the TSG goal. The lead didn’t last long. Mats Hummels made a mistake similar to that of his counterpart Brooks on the other side. After his fatal bad pass, Hummels could only help himself with a foul on Anton Stach, Kramaric safely converted the penalty.
Ryerson with a wonderful solo run
The Hoffenheim team, who had to make do without the injured Wout Weghorst and Pavel Kaderabek, deserved the equalizer at this point due to their courageous style of play. High-flyer Maximilian Beier also played a good game under the observation of the national coach. In the minutes after the goal, the Kraichgauers came close to scoring another goal several times in the entertaining encounter. But it was on the other side: After Malen’s strong preparatory work, Reus scored in stoppage time, TSG goalkeeper Oliver Baumann looked unhappy.
Right at the start of the second half, Hoffenheim were very close to equalizing again. After preparatory work by Kramaric, Grischa Prömel was unable to get past Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel’s header from close range (48′). Three minutes in, TSG full-back Robert Skov slammed a free kick onto the crossbar.
After this tricky phase, the guests were able to calm down the game, but Terzic’s team still didn’t play convincingly. Hardly anything happened, especially on offense. The completely unnecessary sending off of Bensebaini, who knocked the ball out of TSG coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s hand, didn’t make things any better. Karim Adeyemi should have increased for BVB (82′), but Ryerson did that with a run across almost the entire pitch.