Kobel-inspired Dortmund victorious over Leverkusen
BVB's Swiss shot stopper was impenetrable in goals while Karim Adeyemi bagged his first Bundesliga goal. Edmond Tapsoba was in the wrong place at the wrong time in the second half, as he turned the ball into his own net doubling Dortmund's lead. Edin Terzić's side never looked back.
| Photo: Borussia Dortmund |
Dortmund enjoyed a period of mild dominance around the 30-minute mark. A couple of corners and possession aplenty but no real shots on Hradecky’s goal. This wouldn’t stay this way for long in the end. A brilliant counter press from Wolf and Brandt allowed the latter to pick out Karim Adeyemi in the box. The youngster composed himself before slotting the ball into the bottom right corner which gave Hradecky no chance. This was Adeyemi’s first Bundesliga goal since his move from Salzburg in the summer. That goal ultimately separated the sides at the interval as ‘Die Schwarzgelben’ took a 1-0 lead into the dressing rooms.
Leverkusen came roaring out of the blocks after the restart. Once again Moussa Diaby brought the best out of Gregor Kobel while Nico Schlotterbeck cleared to safety. However, it was Dortmund who struck again for a second time and doubled their advantage to 2-0. A brilliant Bellingham switch of play picked out Wolf on the right flank. The full back crossed low in the direction of Haller, but it was the unfortunate Tapsoba who turned the ball into his own net. ‘Die Werkself’ set about finding a quick response through the head of Amine Adli but Kobel remained firm behind the shot.
Both sides made substitutions not long after the hour. Haller was replaced by Modeste, while Bakker entered in place of Jonathan Tah. The action became bit fragmented and feisty as Xabi Alonso looked to his bench again on 70 minutes – this time Hlozek, Bellarabi looked to influence the game for Bayer. Tapsoba came within inches of scoring another own goal but fortunately teammate Jeremie Frimpong was at hand to clear off the line, sparing his teammate’s blushes. There was other cause for joy amongst Dortmund fans as Marco Reus returned after a bout of illness. Terzic also introduced Hummels while switching to a more defensively solid 5-4-1 setup and saw the game out. A massive victory for Dortmund in their push for top spot as they narrow the gap. Kobel with an outstanding individual performance while displaying ruthless efficiency with limited shots in attack.