Dortmund clinch top-four finish in style | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund secure Champions League spot with commanding win over relegated Kiel

An early Serhou Guirassy penalty sent Borussia Dortmund on the way to securing a top-four finish with a convincing win over relegated Holstein Kiel on the final day of the Bundesliga season.

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Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Holstein KielGoals: 1-0 Guirassy 3' (pen.), 2-0 Sabitzer 47' (assist: Brandt), 3-0 Nmecha 73' (assist: Svensson)

Borussia Dortmund entered the final day of the Bundesliga season with their Champions League hopes hanging in the balance. Needing a win by at least three goals to guarantee a top-four finish, the pressure was on Niko Kovač's men to deliver against already-relegated Holstein Kiel and cap a late-season surge.

Serhou Guirassy scored his 21st goal of the season from the penalty spot. (JM)

Early drama sets the tone

The match burst into life almost immediately, with Felix Nmecha being brought down in the box by Lewis Holtby. Guirassy stepped up to take the resulting penalty, calmly slotting it past Thomas Dähne to give Dortmund a 1-0 lead in the third minute. The hosts' task was made significantly easier just six minutes later when Kiel's Carl Johansson was shown a straight red card for a foul on Karim Adeyemi.

Kiel played 81 minutes with ten men. (Leon Kuegeler)

Kiel's resilience tested

Despite being a man down, Kiel showed admirable resilience for the remainder of the first half. The visitors managed to frustrate Dortmund's attempts to extend their lead, with Gregor Kobel even being called into action to make a crucial save from Shuto Machino in the 39th minute. The half-time whistle blew with Dortmund holding a slender 1-0 lead, leaving their top-four ambitions still in the balance.

Marcel Sabitzer's goal was his first of the season in all competitions for Dortmund (JM)

Half-time changes

Kiel made two changes at the break, aiming to inject fresh energy into their ten men as they faced a challenging second half.

Felix Nmecha celebrates scoring Dortmund's third goal, securing their top-four finish (JM)

Sabitzer strikes

Any nerves among the Dortmund faithful were quickly settled after the restart. Marcel Sabitzer, making his first start since returning from injury, doubled the lead in the 47th minute with a well-placed shot from the edge of the box. The goal seemed to break Kiel's spirit and allowed Dortmund to take full control of the match.

Nmecha seals the deal

As the second half wore on, Dortmund continued to press for the crucial third goal that would guarantee their top-four finish. Their persistence paid off in the 73rd minute when Nmecha capped off a fine team move with a clinical finish. The goal sparked jubilant scenes around Signal Iduna Park, as fans and players alike celebrated the fact that Champions League football was returning to Dortmund next season.

Late drama and bookings

The closing stages of the match saw a flurry of yellow cards. Adeyemi was cautioned in the 56th minute, while Jamie Gittens and Nicolai Remberg both saw yellow in the 87th minute. Sabitzer rounded off the bookings in the 90th minute. Despite these flashpoints, Dortmund maintained their composure to see out the victory.

Player of the Match: Marcel Sabitzer

While several Dortmund players shone on this crucial day, Sabitzer's performance stood out. The Austrian midfielder controlled the tempo of the game, provided the vital second goal, and was instrumental in securing Dortmund's dominance. His vision, passing accuracy, and timely goal were crucial in clinching the top-four spot.

Bundesliga Match FactsxGoals: Dortmund 2.02 - Kiel 0.91Fastest player: Felix Nmecha (Dortmund), 35.36 km/hLowest goal probability: 2-0 by Marcel Sabitzer (Dortmund), 5 percentMost pressed player: Serhou Guirassy (Dortmund), 17 times under pressurePass efficiency: Waldemar Anton (Dortmund), +2.89

Fantasy Heroes: Ramy Bensebaini (Dortmund, 323 Points), Felix Nmecha (Dortmund, 311 Points), Marcel Sabitzer (Dortmund, 279 Points)

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