Talking points from Borussia Dortmund’s 1-0 win over Hoffenheim

Positives and Negatives

There were outstanding performances from many of Borussia Dortmund’s players. Kobel put in another strong performance and made a total of four saves during the match. The back-line of Süle, Schlotterbeck, and Can was excellent, providing a great sense of security and composure during the most worrying moments of the match. Wolf put in another impressive shift at right-back, providing an outlet on every counter and build up.

Reus, Brandt, and Bellingham were able to control and set the tempo of the game for the most part. The BVB captain created the most chances in the game (six) and also provided the assist for Brandt’s eighth goal of the season.

Bynoe-Gittens started the game but his performance was relatively underwhelming. He failed to create any chances and found it difficult to make his usual impact.

This marked Sebastien Haller’s seventh appearance for Borussia Dortmund. And while he looked dangerous at times, he is still finding his feet in a BVB shirt. The Black and Yellows were calling for Mahmoud Dahoud’s presence in midfield, especially in the second half. Not many players in the team have the ability to link defence and attack, and having Dahoud come off the bench could have helped BVB wrestle back momentum in the closing stages of the game.

But in the end, what matters is Borussia Dortmund secured the three points and kept a clean sheet. Tougher tests lie ahead, but confidence is sky high at the momentum and there is a real belief that this could be a special season for the club.