Bayern hunter Borussia Dortmund has found its way back to success four days after the “nightmare of Amsterdam” even without Erling Haaland.
Mats Hummels grabbed his water bottle and went back from the bench to hit the ground with his colleagues. After a lackluster 3-1 (2-0) at Arminia Bielefeld, the professionals from Borussia Dortmund were more relieved than cheered, but they had at least shaken the first part of the Champions League nightmare in Amsterdam out of their clothes.
“We had to react after the last game and we did,” said international Emre Can at Sky satisfied. Four days after the 4-0 debacle at Ajax, coach Marco Rose spoke of a “deserved victory” after a “somewhat bumpy start”.
The DFB Cup winner also kept the pressure on record champions Bayern Munich upright in the absence of his exceptional injured striker Erling Haaland. Can (31st / foul penalty), Hummels (45th) and Jude Bellingham (72nd) scored in front of 25,000 spectators for the weakened Dortmund team, who are still one point behind Munich in the table after the ninth Bundesliga matchday.
Coach Frank Kramer’s Arminia, still without a win, acted far too harmlessly throughout the game. The Ostwestfalen remain penultimate in the table, Fabian Klos (87.) at least converted a late penalty. “So far we have not taken what would have been possible,” criticized defender Amos Pieper.
Bielefelds Serra with a huge chance to take the lead
As expected, Rose relied on Donyell Malen as a representative for Haaland, who had been missing for several weeks, and he made a committed start. The Dutch summer access checked Arminia goalkeeper Stefan Ortega from a distance in the sixth minute, shortly afterwards his header missed the goal (8th).
BVB, who are currently injured in addition to Haaland, Nico Schulz, Thomas Meunier, Raphael Guerreiro, Youssoufa Moukoko and Giovanni Reyna, had field advantages but did not dominate. That was due to her own mistakes and to Arminia, who was initially safe.
In addition, the chain of three offered by Rose with Hummels, Marin Pongracic and Manuel Akanji partially invited Arminia. When Pongracic lost the ball in the build-up, Janni Serra should have scored for Arminia in a one-on-one with Gregor Kobel to take the lead (18th). Before that, Robin Hack had already graduated (10th).
Can’s penalty goal after a foul on Malen then made the guests a little more relaxed, Hummels artistically made 2-0 after a corner. The game was now running in the direction of the favorite. The fact that Kobel had to go out injured at the break and was replaced by Marwin Hitz fit in with BVB’s streak of bad luck.
