Dortmund close the gap to Bayern after dominant win against Union Berlin
| Nico Schlotterbeck celebrating his goal against Union Berlin. | Photo: Stuart Franklin / Getty Images. |
Borussia Dortmund underlined their growing maturity with a composed 3-0 away win at Union Berlin, adding control and efficiency after the break to put the Topspiel beyond doubt. BVB have now closed the gap to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga to “just” eight points.
The Bundesliga “Topspiel” between Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund began in a slightly frantic fashion, with the hosts applying early pressure and looking marginally more assertive in the opening minutes. That momentum, however, was halted abruptly after just eight minutes, when Union goalkeeper Frederik Rønnow brought down the onrushing Serhou Guirassy inside the penalty area.
With Guirassy requiring brief treatment on the sidelines, Emre Can stepped up to take responsibility. The Dortmund captain kept his nerve, sending Rønnow the wrong way to convert the spot kick and register his third Bundesliga goal of the season, giving BVB an early 1-0 lead.
Dortmund responded with a spell of controlled possession and looked the more composed side in the opening 20 minutes. They came close to doubling their advantage in the 18th minute, when a slick move through midfield opened space for Fábio Silva and Felix Nmecha in quick succession. Both efforts were blocked by determined Union defending, with the final attempt flashing narrowly wide of the post.
Nmecha then went close again three minutes later, curling a free kick just over the crossbar. Union gradually found their way back into the contest by winning a series of free kicks in advanced areas, most of them delivered by Josip Juranović, but Dortmund’s back line dealt comfortably with the aerial threat.
As the half progressed, the game settled into a more cautious rhythm. Union continued to push forward, yet clear-cut chances remained scarce, while Dortmund were equally selective in committing numbers forward, resulting in few entries into the opposition penalty area.
By the end of the first half, Union even edged possession statistics, but the match had evolved into a physical battle rather than a flowing spectacle - a tightly contested “Topspiel” with Dortmund holding a narrow advantage at the break.
The second half initially followed the same pattern as the first: plenty of physical duels, few clear chances, and Union continuing to rely almost exclusively on set pieces to find a way back into the match. Dortmund, meanwhile, remained patient and well organised, rarely allowing the hosts to generate real danger.
The game’s decisive moment after the restart arrived in the 53rd minute. Following a corner, Nico Schlotterbeck rose highest in the box and guided his header neatly inside the post. The centre-back, who has a past with Union Berlin, kept his celebration kind of quiet, but his goal effectively drained the belief from the home side and doubled Dortmund’s advantage.
As Union tried to respond, the atmosphere on the pitch grew noticeably more heated. In the minutes following the goal, several stoppages led to animated discussions between small groups of players, with emotions running high after almost every foul. Despite the increased intensity, Union still failed to turn their territorial spells into meaningful opportunities. Their deliveries from wide and dead-ball situations once again lacked the precision needed to truly test Dortmund’s back line.
Dortmund, on the other hand, were content to manage the game rather than force the issue. Clear-cut chances remained rare for long stretches, but the visitors always looked the more likely side to strike if space opened up.
That moment finally came in the 84th minute, when Maximilian Beier put the result beyond any doubt. The forward finished calmly with a low shot to make it 3-0, converting Dortmund’s best attacking move of the second half and providing the final highlight in a match that was otherwise short on genuine goalmouth action.
Union Berlin never found a way back, and Dortmund saw out the closing minutes with authority, securing a convincing scoreline built on discipline, efficiency, and defensive stability.
Final score: Union Berlin 0-3 Borussia Dortmund
