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Key Takeaways from Borussia Dortmund’s narrow win over RB Leipzig

By Brian Szlenk Straub

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - JANUARY 19: Axel Witsel of Borussia Dortmund celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund at the Red Bull Arena on January 19, 2019 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Alexandre Simoes/Borussia Dortmund/Getty Images)
LEIPZIG, GERMANY - JANUARY 19: Axel Witsel of Borussia Dortmund celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund at the Red Bull Arena on January 19, 2019 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Alexandre Simoes/Borussia Dortmund/Getty Images) /
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LEIPZIG, GERMANY – JANUARY 19: Roman Bürki of Dortmund in action during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund at Red Bull Arena on January 19, 2019 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Bundesliga/DFL via Getty Images )
LEIPZIG, GERMANY – JANUARY 19: Roman Bürki of Dortmund in action during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund at Red Bull Arena on January 19, 2019 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Bundesliga/DFL via Getty Images ) /

Roman Bürki – Our “Yellow Wall” continues his fine form, mostly

It cannot be stated enough how crucial Roman Bürki was to Borussia Dortmund picking up all three points in this fixture. A player that has been criticized for his inconsistency in the past by fans and pundits alike, Bürki has had a very solid season for Dortmund. The Swiss shot stopper has only allowed 16 goals this season, having kept 6 clean sheets in the process, the 6th of which was this game, a game that many would have expected would have been a high scoring one for Leipzig.

Bürki was one of the main reasons this wasn’t the case. Bürki had to be alert in the early minutes of the game as a free kick taken by Kevin Kampl found Timo Werner on the left hand side of the box. The German forward sent a header in towards Bürki’s goal, but the Swiss keeper palmed the ball away. Despite an offside being called on Werner, it was a decent effort on target, and it was a sign of things to come as Leipzig would have effort after effort smothered by Borussia Dortmund’s number 1.

Bürki had to be equally aware in the second half as Leipzig came into the game with a vengeance, having gone down a goal courtesy of Axel Witsel in the first 45 minutes. In the 46th minute, a marauding run by Leipzig center back Ibrahima Konaté was capped off with a ball across the box to Marcel Sabitzer. Sabitzer’s shot was blocked by Bürki in emphatic fashion as Dortmund’s keeper made himself big to deny Leipzig’s number 7.

In the 67th minute, Dortmund fans surely had their hearts in their throats as the Bürki of season’s past made an appearance momentarily, a slip at the edge of the box almost gifting Werner a golden opportunity to get Leipzig back into the game. Bürki remedied his mistake by making what looked a solid challenge on Werner. An argument could be made for the challenge indeed being a foul, but referee Dennis Ayetekin ignored Werner’s pleas, seeing nothing wrong with Bürki’s actions.

Memories of this were wiped away shortly, however, when in the 73rd minute Bürki was called into action once again, this time making what I believe to be the save of the match. A well weighted Werner pass across the box found Marcel Sabitzer one on one with the keeper, and Bürki was forced into making a strong save with his leg. It was only one of the crucial saves Bürki made during the game, but the timing of it made it all the more important, with the game coming ever closer to the end of the full 90 minutes.

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