The Cologne defenses held for 87 minutes, then the lucky punch hit. For almost a whole game, Borussia Dortmund couldn’t find a way to even get a shot on goal against 1. FC Köln. And when everything seemed to be coming to an end and a false start by the almost champions from last May could hardly be prevented, a corner kick from Julian Brandt flew into Cologne’s penalty area. Felix Nmecha headed in towards the second post, and there Donyell Malen slipped so happily on goal that the ball’s flight became completely unpredictable and sailed into the Cologne goal corner. 1-0 for Dortmund.
The Dutchman’s one goal brought BVB more luck than sovereignty over injury time. After the final whistle, however, it was obvious to Borussia that the proverbial work victory had shown above all a long list of work. Because Cologne, with their defensive and counter-attacking football, seemed like the team that would be more likely to score a goal for a long time. In the end, coach Steffen Baumgart’s team scored seven good shots on goal, Dortmund at most two. BVB did enjoy extremely long periods of possession, but mostly in those areas of the field where there was no danger of scoring.
BVB coach Edin Terzic admitted frankly after the game: “We are dissatisfied today, we didn’t play well. We saw a lot that we didn’t like.” Terzic couldn’t really explain his team’s lack of mental and physical vigor any more than his new captain Emre Can. Can, who was even substituted after about an hour, could only agree: “I didn’t play well today. Somehow we didn’t get in well.”
The fact that Dortmund’s efforts to score goals didn’t work was due to a whole series of inconsistencies. Sébastien Haller, center forward and intended goalscorer, left the field after an hour, visibly annoyed after what felt like only half a dozen touches of the ball. Cologne’s Julian Chabot reported Haller mercilessly.
But even without Chabot, there didn’t really seem to be a rehearsed intention to put the supposed striker in dangerous positions. Youssoufa Moukoko, who replaced Haller, hardly came to scenes. It seemed as if Dortmund’s midfield squadron wasn’t really prepared to target players in the penalty area. The two wingers Ramy Bensebaini and Julian Ryerson managed almost no cross either.
Bensebaini, Sabitzer and Nmecha are still struggling
And so the series continued. In addition to Can, Marcel Sabitzer hardly ever managed to break out of the trot rhythm and set quick impulses. Malen or Julian Brandt were most likely to succeed, but Dortmund’s very first chance to score after 30 minutes was also not able to place Brandt. Defensively, coach Terzic was able to thank Mats Hummels and in the final phase also goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who saved Cologne’s chances through the strong Dejan Ljubitic and the Dane Rasmus Carstensen in the last resort.
While Cologne already seemed well balanced and consistently adjusted with much more limited playful means, Edin Terzic still has some integration help with his newcomers ahead of him. Bensebaini, Sabitzer and in the last half hour Nmecha remained pale and hardly seemed integrated. With a center forward like Haller who is practically invisible this time, Dortmund will again find it difficult to win games easily and reliably against opponents like Cologne. But that will be necessary to keep up with FC Bayern from the start this time.
Baumgart can be satisfied with the performance of his team
How heavy a powerful, present center forward weighs should be shown by the Munich team with superstar Harry Kane. Even in the first game it seemed as if this was the breaking point at BVB – at least compared to Bayern.
On the other hand, Steffen Baumgart from the very committed opponent was just as happy at Cologne level as the 8,000 guest fans who had come from nearby Cologne: “Apart from the result, a lot went right today,” he thought. After the game he gave his cap to Dortmund’s young reserve striker Moukoko. Baumgart had once again given everything. This time without countable success.