Borussia Dortmund did it the hard way today in only their second match of the season. Away to Hoffenheim, the Black and Yellows went two goals behind, leaving it all to do with thirty minutes to play. Waldemar Anton took charge, sporting the captain's armband, blasting through the Hoffenheim defense at a lax moment to nick a loose ball and square it for Serhou Guirassy, who got the comeback started. BVB would find two further goals from Fabio Silva, and an own goal created by some intelligent interplay between Silva and Nwaneri.
Captain Anton
The defense today was… not exactly sterling. The injury to Mane unsettled the back line, and despite some bright spots specifically from Gadou in progression, there were also some calamitous errors that gave Hoffenheim control of the momentum. Anton has been given the tricky task of leading a young, inexperienced back line. Gadou and Mane are talented, but they are both really in their first seasons of top flight football. Anton needs to keep them in check and handle his defensive duties as well. It's a lot of responsibity for BVB's stand-in captain. Anton's tenacity to win the ball high up the pitch got his team back into the game, and he deserves credit for his efforts across the pitch.
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An additional note on Mane. I'm worried about this kid. Two hamstring injuries in only a few professional matches point to either a more serious issue, or insufficient preparation from the physio team. Mane has looked promising in the lead up to the season, but these injuries threaten to derail his career. BVB need to get their well-paid medical staff to figure out what's going on here.
Seeking Midfield
Anyone seen the midfield? I can't seem to find it.
I'm not sure if we blame Kovac here, blame the players, blame the system, but my goodness where is our central spine? Hoffenheim ran down the throat of the BVB defense for the entire first half because there seemed to be no cover in front of it. Maybe we will see more of Veerman in the weeks to come, but it's not like the dutchman is some deep-lying enforcer—he is a creator. If BVB are going to be fielding a juvenile back line for the next few weeks (they are), the midfield needs to provide some better cover.
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A Win's a Win
Did BVB really overcome adversity to win this match? Maybe some. It looked more like Hoffenheim lost their hold on the momentum than a match where BVB took charge and flexed their superiority and might. Guirassy and Silva's finishes were absolutely class, but there are still questions to ask about the nature of the match. I think all BVB fans would like to see a more dominant version of their team, and today it feels more like Hoffenheim lost than BVB won. But; a win's a win.
Last thought… Hoffenheim away is not an easy
match. BVB have struggled mightily over the last several years against this side, especially in Sinsheim. Christian Ilzer is a good coach, and he set his team up to exploit what he saw as BVB's most apparent weaknesses. It's a good win for Dortmund in challenging circumstances.
How do you feel about BVB's comeback win? Let us know in the comments.
