Tactical changes were simple, but hit the spot
Niko Kovač deserves the props for this weekend's result. His tactical approach for this match was relatively simple, but it definitely hit the spot, followed by the team's good execution of it. With the starting lineup, Kovač chose to mirror Mainz's 3-5-2 formation. That provided BVB not only solidity and structure OOP but also a lot of flexibility in build-up, shifting, for instance, from a back-three with a double pivot to a back-four with Anton as an RB and Özcan as the sole six. Honestly, the possibilities were vast.
The press was also very high quality and well-executed against Mainz. Often, Beier and Adeyemi led the way, and the goal was to narrow down the corridors and limit the opponent's passing options, which forced them to go long against a tall and good ball-playing backline. It worked for Dortmund, totalizing 62 ball recoveries.
Last but not least, set pieces were a separate chapter in this game. A defender like Nico taking corners from the right side, which favors his left foot, summed up with his great delivery, generated tons of trouble for Mainz to deal with. Even with the absence of players like Dominik Kohr and Stefan Bell, a team that has won the third-most aerial duels (574) in the league prior to this match conceded twice to BVB in two corner pieces taken from a center-back. A simple change that made all the difference for the Black-and-Yellows.