A second-half strike from Fabio Silva was enough to hand Borussia Dortmund a win over FC Tokyo. The Portuguese striker made a clinical finish from inside the box after 54 minutes as the home side's resistance was finally broken.
The match was also marked by the return of several first-team BVB stars back into the lineup. Head coach Niko Kovac received a massive tactical boost and it showed as the Bundesliga giants were more fluid going forward and defensively resolute.
Borussia Dortmund now fly back home with content as their BVB Evonik Japan Tour ended on a positive note. Here are the player ratings:
Ratings for Starting XI
Patrick Drewes - 8: His first start of the preseason and he delivers, making four saves to deny FC Tokyo
Luca Reggiani - 7.5: Kept biting at the heels of Tokyo players for the ball, timed his tackles to perfection and made some vital interceptions for a terrific display in defense
Waldemar Anton - 8: Positionally aware while reading the game brilliantly to make five clearances
Romeo Ritter - 7: Passed the ball around well but was second-best in his duels
Daniel Svensson - 7.5: Misplaced just one pass and laid two crosses, one of which led to Silva's winner
Jobe Bellingham - 7.5: Heavily involved in the proceedings by stringing passes together
Felix Nmecha - 7: Worked nicely in tandem with Bellingham but lacked offensive output
Maximilian Beier - 7: Lashed a promising shot wide in the first half but constantly asked questions of Tokyo's defense with timely runs
Carney Chukwuemeka - N/A: Was handed a baptism of fire on his Dortmund return as the Austrian succumbed to an injury just 23 minutes into the clash
Samuele Inacio - 7: A menacing presence on the flanks; made two crosses but missed one big chance
Fabio Silva - 8.5: Scored the winner while also creating two excellent chances himself
Ratings for Substitutes
Takato Yamamoto - 6: Replaced the injured Chukwuemeka but failed to score again
Jan-Luca Riedl - 7: Carried the ball forward really well
Enzo Duarte - 6: Dortmund's second casualty of the day but had been struggling to make an impact even before that
Joane Gadou - 7: His passing is top-notch; could play a vital role in making Dortmund a fluid side next season
Miguel Adje - 6: Couldn't get involved much
Yan Couto - 7: Won the ball back a few times and even had a shot on target
Serhou Guirassy - 6: No goals for the Guinean for a third consecutive preseason game
Mathis Albert - 6: Sloppy on the ball; lost possession four times
Ayman Azhil - 6.5: Made a vital clearance
Justin Lerma - N/A: Not enough time to make an impact
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