Borussia Dortmund: Player Ratings from 5-0 win over FC Koln
Borussia Dortmund got back to winning ways with a 5-0 thrashing of bottom club FC Koln.
Three points! Peter Bosz and co. pulled things together to remain atop the Bundesliga. The opposition squad looked decimated and helpless as Borussia Dortmund’s attack exposed them. You can read a detailed match report here on BVB Buzz.
It’s time to rate the squad as individuals. Players who played less than 20 minutes did not get a rating.
Starting XI
Roman Burki: 7
Yet another clean sheet for the Swiss keeper. Koln had a hard time getting past the Dortmund defense, but the few times they did, he was there to protect the goal. I wish I could give him a higher rating, but he just didn’t have enough to do.
Dan-Axel Zagadou: 6
Nothing special from the Frenchman. He belongs as a center-back, but time will tell if he ever develops into that role. For now on, however, he is a decent backup for when Borussia Dortmund face less formidable opponents, such as Koln.
Omer Toprak: 8
Toprak had an excellent match, forcing Die Geißbocke to resort to desperate counterattacks. The former Leverkusen man is showing his worth and can be an excellent backup to Marc Bartra.
Sokratis Papastathopoulos: 8
Those who cursed the Greek defender’s name after his performance against Tottenham were certainly silenced today. Not only wass he able to boast another clean sheet to his name, but Sokratis scored a goal just before the first half ended.
He gave Dortmund a 2-0 advantage going into the second half, and put up a strong defensive display. Well done, Sokratis.
Lukasz Piszczek: 7
Piszczek seemed to want to attack today, and his contribution in the final third resulted in another goal for Dortmund. Sokratis covered his position when he would attack, and the Polish international would look for a cross into the box.
His efforts finally paid off in the 60th minute when he got himself an assist.
Nuri Sahin: 6
It would seem the fan favorite’s form has worn off a bit. Nuri didn’t play bad, but he wasn’t exactly a game changer, either.
His average performance led to him being replaced by Julian Weigl in the second half. This might be a reoccurring theme this season as the German international comes back from injury.
Gonzalo Castro: 7
Castro looked much more comfortable in this match compared to Dortmund’s last two. His free kick was saved by Timo Horn in the first half, arguably his biggest accomplishment in the game. Castro looked much more productive on and off the ball today. Let’s hope that continues.
Mahmoud Dahoud: 7
Having the former Gladbach man on the pitch made the midfield that much better. Fans of Borussia Dortmund can rest easy knowing the next generation of midfield maestros is ready to go.
Dahoud’s playing style reminds one of Ilkay Gundogan. His passing play, movement, and shots all combined today to make an intelligent and dangerous opponent to be reckoned with.
Maximilian Philipp: 9
I had a feeling today would be his day. Philipp started on Sunday in the place of Christian Pulisic, and rewarded Bosz with a stellar performance.
Within two minutes, Philipp scored his first goal for Borussia Dortmund with a header that was clearly the product of work put in on the training ground. Maxi also put the nail in Koln’s coffin when he chipped Timo Horn to put Dortmund ahead by 5 goals.
Great stuff, Maxi.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: 9
Aubameyang made sure he left his mark on the match. After an uneventful first half for the Gabonese forward, he was rewarded with a penalty and a sitter from Piszczek. Not only that, but he assisted Philipp’s second goal.
He looked like the Aubameyang that played under Klopp, as he pressured the Koln defenders all throughout the match.
Andriy Yarmolenko: 8
The star summer signing is already proving he is worth every penny. He assisted Philipp’s first goal with a perfect cross for the German to finish.
Overall, a very good attacking performance from the Ukrainian. He understands Bosz’s high pressing style and often forced the Koln defenders to clear the ball and give away possession.
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Substitutes
Christian Pulisic: 6
The American replaced Yarmolenko with about 25 minutes left to go in the match. He wasn’t able to directly contribute to the last goal, but he certainly tried to make a difference.
Julian Weigl: 6
Finally! The long-anticipated return of Weigl has BVB fans in great spirits. The young midfielder was subbed on for Sahin at the same time as Pulisic. By that time in the match, however, Koln had just given up. Their attack stagnated, and left little to no challenge for Weigl to deal with.
Alexander Isak: N/A
The Swede was subbed on for Aubameyang with only minutes left to go in the match.