Player Ratings: Borussia Dortmund come from behind to thrash RB Leipzig

Borussia Dortmund downed RB Leipzig 4-1 on Matchday one to get the new Bundesliga season underway. Here are the player ratings from the game.

Roman Burki – 9/10

Without question the man of the match today. Not too many keepers drop a 9/10 rating after conceding 31 seconds into the game. After that moment Burki came up big again and again to keep BVB in the game. His biggest moment came against the goalscorer Augustin, as he was in clean through. But Burki made an exceptional reactionary save on a 1v1 to keep Dortmund in the game. With a performance like that on matchday one, Burki can hope to build off that as we move through the Bundesliga season.

Lukasz Piszczek – 4/10

A day to forget for the veteran right back as he was exposed time and time again through his poor positioning. A constant for Borussia Dortmund since 2010, it may finally be the time when Piszczek is no longer the best option at right back. Then again, Piszczek did miss out on some of the pre-season and may need a few games to get fully back in the rhythm. He will be one to keep an eye on as the season progresses to see if he is still a capable right back option for Borussia Dortmund.

Manuel Akanji – 6/10

An awkward performance from Akanji against Leipzig as he struggled at times to make the simple play which got himself and BVB in much more trouble. He was a main factor in the goal conceded 32 seconds in as he attempted a header to clear and it glanced off him right into the path of Augustin to place past Burki. There were moments when we saw him use his size and speed to push Leipzig’s attackers off the ball but he was much too inconsistent throughout 90 minutes.

Abdou Diallo – 6.5/10

A bit better than his Swiss counterpart in todays game, Diallo showed composure on the ball in tight situations. The entire defence struggled in the first 20 minutes and were unable to break Leipzig’s high press and created turn over after turn over. Once Dortmund were able to bring themselves into the game, Diallo found a lot more confidence on the ball and started making the plays we’ve become to expect after seeing him perform in the pre-season.

Marcel Schmelzer – 7/10

Marcel Schmelzer has come under fire a lot in the previous year from Dortmund fans for his inconsistent performances and there has been some justification for that. That was not the case today as Schmelzer held his ground after the opening 20 minutes and was one of Dortmunds best players on the pitch. Assisting Dahoud’s incredible headed goal in the 21st minute, Schmelzer was very consistent in his performance today doing a remarkable job jumping out to block and cover Lukas Klostermann’s constant runs up Dortmunds left side.

Axel Witsel – 8/10

After the goal that was conceded 31 seconds into the game, Axel Witsel dictated the play for BVB. Starting out as the anchor in front of the Dortmund back line to transitioning up the field playing a more box to box role in the second half. It is fairly plain to see that he will have a massive role in Dortmund’s success this season as he brings a new blend of physicality and technical ability that this team has not seen for some time.  He also scored his second goal in as many games with a scissor kick off a rebound to make it 3-1 for Dortmund.

Thomas Delaney – 7/10

A very physical presence throughout the game that shared the responsibility of protecting the Dortmund back line. Delaney looks to be exactly what Dortmund fans expected when he was signed this summer. Not someone who is going to wow you with his technical ability but he defends aggressively and uses his physicality to break up plays and slow the opponents attacks down. He was an important part of Dortmund’s win today.

Mahmoud Dahoud – 7/10

To score a goal the way Dahoud did today is very difficult. Getting a header with enough power to beat a keeper on a cross that is coming in behind you is nearly impossible. Such an important goal for Dormund as it really brought them into the game not only in the score but in their play. Dortmund struggled early on, were having a hard time getting out of their half and string passes together. ButBout  Dahoud scored, the entire game shifted. Dahoud was also instrumental in Marco Reus’ 100th Bundesliga goal as he made the interception, run and pass to find Jadon Sancho in space on the wing. A great performance from a talented player who we hope to see stay consistent over a full season.

Christian Pulisic – 6/10

Pulisic’s ability to take defenders on 1v1 is his greatest strength, however it can be a drawback as well in games like today. Too many times he ran into the opposition’s defence in an attempt to get past one or more defenders instead of making a simpler pass. No one can doubt his explosiveness or 1v1 ability but that can’t be the solution every time he receives the ball. More should be expected from Pulisic as we head into the second matchday.

Maximilian Philipp – 5/10

Not much to write home about today, a very quiet showing from Philipp as he led the line for Dortmund in their season opener. His only real contribution to the game was the turn and pass to find Schmelzer in space for the game tying goal. As Dortmund is currently without a natural striker, Philipp needs to be much more impactful if he wants to be the BVB frontman in 2018/2019.

Marco Reus – 7/10

Marco Reus rarely has off games, today was another example of just that. He wasn’t massively involved until the very end but he is just so mistake free that he simplifies the game for everyone else around him. Capping off another solid performance with his 100th Bundesliga goal to seal the victory.

Substitutes

Marius Wolf – 6/10

Brought on for Philipp in the 70th minute, Wolf immediately brought with him a bit more defensive security. A winger with a great defensive work rate, he didn’t stand out much in todays game but that usually means he’s doing his job well. As Favre’s first sub as well as starting over Philipp in the first DFB Pokal match it seems as though Wolf might have won the trust of Favre and may get reasonably consistent minutes in the foreseeable future.

Jadon Sancho – 6.5/10

Coming on in the 77th minute doesn’t give you a ton of time to get yourself into the game and have a huge impact. Sancho, however, did the opposite as he assisted Reus’ 100th Bundesliga goal. The 13 minutes we got to see today reinforces what a talent Dortmund have with Sancho. Top technical ability combined with composure and intelligence, we can only hope to see him continue to impress and take on a larger role as the season continues.

Raphael Guerreiro – N/A