Dortmund fail to make chances count in 2-0 loss in Leipzig | OneFootball

BVB's attacking play was only good at the beginning and the end of the first period and they were deservedly behind at the break due to Xabi Simons' goal in the 18th minute. Openda and Baku were also denied by the woodwork. After the restart, Beier struck the crossbar and post in the space of two minutes. Openda had fired Leipzig into a 2-0 lead shortly beforehand (48). BVB were now going forward with purpose and creating chance after chance but were thwarted either by Gulacsi in the Leipzig goal or – for the third time in this match – by the woodwork (Adeyemi, 61).

The scenario:   Sixth versus 10th. This was the first time both teams had gone into a head-to-head clash outside the top four in the table. The side from Saxony had won only one of their last nine league games, while the Black & Yellows had only tasted victory on three occasions in that time period. Leipzig had not suffered more home defeats to any other club than they had to BVB (three up to that point).

Personnel matters:  Borussia had travelled without Nmecha (fitness training) and Svensson, who has a knee injury, and lined up with the same team that had won (2-1) in Lille three days earlier.

Tactics: The formation was also the same as in Lille. Left-back Ryerson was positioned significantly further forward than Anton on the right flank in the 4-2-3-1. Groß mostly played level with Sabitzer. Leipzig took to the pitch in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Orban man-marked Guirassy, while Xavi Simons played behind the front two but played more left of centre than in the centre itself.

The match & analysis:BVB initially got stuck into the challenges and linked up nicely in attack on several occasions in the opening quarter of an hour. Guirassy registered a shot from 14 metres in the ninth minute, but it was too central and Gulacsi was able to make the save – albeit with some difficulty. Brandt asserted himself in midfield two minutes later and threaded the ball through to Adeyemi, who was stopped by two Leipzig players in the box.

This was followed by a spell of pressure from the hosts, however. Dortmund had issues dealing with diagonal balls. One such pass led to Openda hitting the bar in the 14th minute. Then Xavi fed Raum on the left flank. Kobel managed to parry his shot away but the rebound landed at the feet of Xavi, who struck the ball from the penalty spot and opened the scoring at 1-0 (18).

Sabitzer had to come off the pitch with a knee injury on the half-hour mark. Bensebaini slotted into the left-back position, while Ryerson shifted over to the right – still postioned in front of Anton. Shortly afterwards, Baku hit the crossbar (35). It was only towards the end of the first period that BVB came back into the game more, getting into the opposition half more frequently and almost restoring parity at 1-1. But Adeyemi, who was played in by Schlotterbeck, was denied by a strong save from Gulacsi (45+2).

The start to the second period was also promising. Beier went through on the right following a throw-in by Ryerson but could not find a team-mate in the box. Adeyemi's run had been tracked. A short while later Adeyemi crossed from the left to Guirassy, whose header missed the target (47). Leipzig won a corner at the other end and Simons delivered it towards the back post, where Openda met the ball with a volley into the top left corner to make it 2-0 (48). But BVB responded immediately. Beier literally hung in the air to reach Ryerson's cross but headed the ball against the bar (50). Two minutes later, Beier came close to scoring from a centre-left position in the box following build-up work from Schlotterbeck and Guirassy, but his effort rebounded off the outside of the post. Adeyemi then had an unobstructed view of goal from 14 metres but fired the ball well over the bar.

Borussia Dortmund dominated the game at will in this period, winning the second balls and pushing to get a goal back, only to miss further great chances. After Brandt had won the ball, Adeyemi played it through to Guirassy, who found himself clean through on Gulacsi only to be denied by a sensational save from Leipzig's keeper (62). Two minutes later, Gulacsi turned a shot from Adeyemi onto the crossbar and then followed that up with another fine save from Ryerson (65). BVB could not make their chances count. An unchallenged Groß fired the ball over the goal from eight metres out after strong build-up play from Beier and Guirassy (76). Schlotterbeck went agonisingly close after a corner (79). The shot count was now 20-14 in favour of BVB, who had trailed Leipzig 12-5 in this metric after 45 minutes. Chukwuemeka and Beier were again kept out by Gulacsi (90+4).

Outlook:  A total of 14 players are now expected to link up with their national teams and will only return in the week prior to the next Bundesliga match. BVB will be up against 1. FSV Mainz 05 on 30 March (Sunday at 17:30 CET).

Teams & goals

Bundesliga Matchday 26 Saturday 15 March 2025, 18:30 CET LEIPZIG 2-0 (1-0) BORUSSIA DORTMUND