Hertha BSC 2-5 Borussia Dortmund: Talking points as Erling Haaland leads BVB to victory
Youssouffa Moukoko makes his long awaited debut
The wait is finally over. Youssoufa Moukoko has finally been unleashed upon the Bundesliga, and while it may have only been for the final few minutes, his debut will send reverberations around the world, but they will be felt most keenly within the ranks of Dortmund’s own squad as well.
Moukoko’s debut firstly means that Nuri Sahin’s record of being the Bundesliga’s youngest debutant has been absolutely shattered. The striker made his debut at 16 years and one day old exactly and his stats justify why such a decision is more than valid, with the youngster scoring 141 goals and providing 27 assists while being part of the youth setup.
It is a momentous occasion for the club because despite his age, Moukoko is already widely considered to be Germany’s top young talent. His first minutes showed promise, with the 16 year old often asking for the ball and showing he was capable of some deft flicks and touches in possession.
On a different note, Moukoko’s debut spells additional trouble for Reinier Jesus. Having found minutes very hard to come by so far, Reinier’s start to life at Dortmund has been difficult. Having arrived from Real Madrid on a two year long loan, Reinier undoubtedly expected to feature more than the 7 appearances and 105 minutes he has managed so far across all competitions.
The Brazilian was brought in as a depth option due to the long term injury of Marco Reus and as a potential back-up striker to Haaland. As of yet, he has rarely been used in these roles, and in the advent of Moukoko’s debut, it can be concluded that it won’t get any easier for him anytime soon. There have already been grumblings from the player’s, as well as Madrid’s camp that they are unhappy with his involvement so far.
There has even been talk of a potential cancellation to the loan agreement should his situation remain unchanged by the winter transfer window. The Brazilian international did not even travel to Berlin, so one can only speculate where he will fit in moving forward. That being said, Reinier came into a team that was already quite flush with attacking talent, it is only natural that it will take something spectacular for him to nail down a more regular spot on the pitch.
Final thoughts and looking ahead
Overall, Dortmund’s result against Hertha is exactly what the team needed coming off their loss against Bayern; a result that exudes intent and exemplifies their strength and ability to bounce back and get a result away from home against a side that has often been one of their more difficult opponents. In the advent of Bayern dropping points, it was even more important to close the gap on the current champions. This result sees them go up to second, with the gap reduced to one point.
Next. Free-scoring Erling Haaland breaks 60 year old record in Borussia Dortmund’s win over Hertha Berlin. dark
Dortmund have a midweek game against Club Brugge in the Champions League, which will certainly help them cement their spot at the top of their group. In the Bundesliga, they will next take on FC Köln, a team struggling for points and wins. While it may look on paper to be a walk in the park for Dortmund, the Black and Yellows have to take each game seriously in order to stay close to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga standings.