Borussia Dortmund celebrates its first win in the “group of death” – analysis

analysis

Champions League
Dortmund celebrates its first victory in the “Group of Death”: Hurray, we’re still alive!

Wouldn’t you have known that that evening at St. James’ Park a team financed by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund was playing against Borussia Dortmund competed and you would have felt like you had been transported back to the 1990s. Pouring rain, deep grass, a sold-out house and an atmosphere as if the standing stands had celebrated their comeback on the island. Plus two teams that really threw everything they had into this game. An evening for football romantics – and a very important one for BVB.

“We know how important it is,” coach Edin Terzic said before the third group game. What he meant by that was relatively clear: If Borussia Dortmund loses, the Champions League round of 16 will almost certainly take place without the black and yellow. So a final – and already in the third game.

Borussia Dortmund celebrates victory against Newcastle United – and shakes up the “group of death”.

The pessimists, who are not exactly outnumbered in Dortmund’s supporters, predicted exactly this scenario: In a group with Paris St. Germain, Newcastle United and AC Milan – “Group of Death” was the name of the game early on and Dortmund were in the first Play a lot for the name to become a program for them. Lose against Paris, draw against Milan, should you lose at St. James’ Park now – you probably wouldn’t even need to plan for third place and the Europa League.

So the pressure was there – and the team delivered. In what was probably the best game of the season, the team and especially coach Terzic gave the lie to all those who had repeatedly criticized the performances and line-ups over the past few months.

Newcastle’s extremely aggressive style of play had already mowed down Paris. Pressing, pressing, counter-pressing is the concept of the English and coach Eddie Howe. Run so much and for so long, stress and get into duels, until your opponent is literally on the ground – from exhaustion. Then win the ball, straight to the top, finish. The style of play inevitably reminds many fans of the BVB years under Jürgen Klopp.

Nmecha and Sabitzer will be the keys – a tactical masterstroke from Terzic

Nevertheless, Terzic lined up bravely. In a 4-3-3 with Emre Can as the central clearer and Felix Nmecha and Marcel Sabitzer as the creative eight. Marco Reus and Donyell Malen should spread the game when they win the ball and supply Niclas Füllkrug with balls in the middle. And the plan worked. Nmecha and Sabitzer were the keys to cracking Newcastle. They repeatedly dropped to the wings to support the full-backs, thus preventing the English wing play and sending them into the “dead end” in the center.

When they won the ball, they switched quickly, occupied the half-spaces in midfield and initiated the counterattack straight away. A tactical masterpiece from Terzic. Especially in the first half, BVB managed to outplay the Magpies’ aggressive rush with an interface pass. Newcastle’s pressing fizzled out after a few seconds.

The Westphalians were able to create three top-class chances in the first ten minutes, following the same pattern. Only the exploitation of opportunities, especially by Malen, clouded the otherwise stable picture in the initial phase.

Even Can’s injury shortly before half-time didn’t shake the BVB defensive bulwark. Salih Özcan replaced the veteran without a hitch. The 1-0 by Nmecha after outstanding preparatory work by Nico Schlotterbeck at the half-time whistle was the reward for a strong first half.

Suddenly good chances of reaching the round of 16

After the half-time tea, it became clear how intense the game was for Dortmund. Newcastle managed to gain more and more possession of the ball, the Westphalians fell back and were hardly able to mount any relief attacks. During the rare counterattacks, substitute Karim Adeyemi in particular misused the ball on the left flank too often.

Lack of concentration that almost took revenge. The Magpies hit the crossbar twice shortly before the end. A goal at this point would have been anything but undeserved.

But as they like to say in the Ruhr area: “Happiness comes to the stupid, and when the stupid are our stupid, it’s no longer luck, but the better play facility.”

After the defeat in the first game against PSG, some experts had already written off BVB in the group. The team now shares second place with Newcastle. If Borussia Dortmund can save the performance against the Magpies in the second legs of the group stage, there is a good chance of overwintering in the Champions League. But with the first victory it’s time to say: “Hurray, we’re still alive!”