After the stuttering start to the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund impressively returned to the race for the knockout round on the third group match day at Newcastle United.
BVB’s 1-0 (1-0) away win on Wednesday (October 25, 2023) was totally deserved after a highly concentrated performance; the two teams are now level on points in the Group F table.
“In the end it was a bit lucky. Nevertheless, we played a good away game. But it doesn’t get any easier. We have to score as many points as possible”the strong goalkeeper Gregor Kobel commented on the game and the resulting starting position.
Not a long start-up time
The game at St. James Park took off from the start. After just over 60 seconds, Donyell Malen had the first great chance for Borussia, but he made a solo attempt on the half-left that was too unplaced and failed by Nick Pope.
The Newscastle keeper was the center of attention twice within seconds in the 10th minute when, following preparatory work from Marcel Sabitzer, he first defused the direct pass from Malen and then the rebound from the completely unmarked Niclas Füllkrug – but both had also finished too centrally.
Kobel was also called upon immediately
After the three very good opportunities, BVB almost put themselves behind due to a misunderstanding in midfield. But Gregor Kobel made an excellent save against Anthony Gordon, who had broken through freely.
After the breathless initial phase, things calmed down significantly, and both teams were unlucky with injuries: the Magpies’ ex-Dortmunder Alexander Isak had to go off early, while BVB’s Emre Can had to leave the field in the 43rd minute with severe pain in his right knee hobbled.
Can at least gave the all-clear after the game: “It’s okay. Not so bad”said the captain in the interview zone on the way to the team bus.
Schlotterbeck with class preparatory work
In stoppage time in the first half, Dortmund were rewarded for their very good performance. And the lead came exactly from the idea of the game that Edin Terzic had imagined: winning the ball in his own half in this case by Nico Schlotterbeck, quick vertical play to the front and immediately looking for the finish: Felix Nmecha took over with a high level of technical skill and left Pope no chance.
In the second half, Newcastle initially seemed at a loss for a long time, but BVB, with Mats Hummels and Schlotterbeck in the headquarters, continued to defend excellently. Only a mistake in midfield by Füllkrug caused danger again because the hosts were also waiting for exactly these moments – but Kobel repaired the damage with a world-class save against Callum Wilson (57th).
Latte saved for Kobel
After that, the Magpies increased the pressure again, but because Marco Reus and Füllkrug, for example, kept going backwards, there were almost no chances to score. It wasn’t until four minutes before the end that things got audibly tight again: Wilson’s header hit the crossbar, and Kobel could only stare after the ball.
Also in the 94th minute, a ball from Gordon, which Sébastien Haller had deflected, crashed again onto the Dortmund aluminum and from there back into the field – but BVB fully deserved this luck.