RB Leipzig 1-3 Borussia Dortmund
Bundesliga, Matchday 15
09/01/21
Dortmund came to life in the second half and blew Julian Nagelsmann’s Leipzig away on a snowy evening in East Germany.
The battering received by Leipzig denied them the chance to leapfrog Bayern Munich and take top spot in Bundesliga after the Bavarians lost to Borussia Monchengladbach yesterday.
All three BVB goals were quality. The first seeing Sancho finish after a great flick by Reus. The second a brilliant move that ended with Sancho floating a cross to the back post for Haaland. The third saw Haaland net his second, and twelfth in the league, after being played through by Reus.
Leipzig got a consolation goal through substitute Alexander Sorloth on 90’.
Even though the first half was turgid with only two crosses to write about the second half burst into life and the win sees Dortmund gain some ground on Bayern, going five points behind the leaders.
Not only the loss, but the manner in which they lost will hurt Leipzig who were looking to match a club record five clean sheets in a row. They remain second.
1st half – Two crosses to write about
Ingredients suggested it would be a tight affair. 100grams of clean sheets, 200grams of undefeated contests, 300grams of saving face playing the team that has beaten you most in Bundesliga.
The stats coming into Leipzig vs Dortmund’s top of the table clash were all defensive and all piled on the pressure so it was unsurprising that both teams would tighten up during a snowy evening in Saxony.
Leipzig came into the game on a run of four clean sheets in a row having lost one in 14 – that loss over 2 months ago – and with the added pressure of being able to take control of top spot after Bayern’s slip yesterday.
Even with the defensive destroying demigod that is Haaland, Dortmund were on a sticky wicket having already lost five in the league. Edin Terzic’s fourth league game in charge could not afford to be another loss and more ground given up on title rivals. A sore one to concede considering Dortmund’s record against Leipzig is remarkably good, undefeated in five against the Red Bulls with three wins and two losses.
With the defensive heavyweights of Hummels and Upamecano on the pitch, along with the in-form Akanji, this reporter feared this piece would be largely filler.
The game was such a tense affair that the only notable incident to take place was the rather sad sight of Axel Witsel hobbling off with one of those worrying injuries where a player goes down with no one around them. Witsel was replaced by Can on 30′.
Those crosses mentioned in the header were Angelino’s on 23’ which was cleared, and Marco Reus’ on 42’ on the RB byline, also cleared.
Further articles:
–Bayern Munich lose to Borussia Monchengladbach letting slip a 2-0 lead in a thriller: Match report
–Sancho scores his first goal of the season as Dortmund beat Wolfsburg 2-0: Match report
–Preview: Big match between Aberdeen and runaway leaders Rangers on Sunday. Find out why the rivalry is so intense between the clubs
2nd half – Sancho like a London bus
You wait all season for Sancho to score one and he pulls out two in two games.
Ten minutes into the second half Haaland played a one-two with Reus, loped down the wing, played it back to Reus in the centre of the box who produced a delightful flick to divert the ball into the path of Sancho who slammed into the net.
It was no surprise Reus was involved in Dortmund going ahead. BVB’s captain has never lost against Leipzig and contributed two goals and two assists in the last four against the Red Bulls – make that two goals, three assists in five.
After the goal the teenagers of Dortmund finally woke up and a flurry of chances fell BVB’s way including a shot by Haaland hit so powerfully that it went through the hands of Gulacsi and rattled the bar to the point you were waiting for the goal frame to collapse.
RB tried to get out the rope-a-dope midway through the second half and hit a counter punch in the form of Dani Olmo who moved excellently in the box to give himself space to fire a low shot across Burki and off the base of the post.
The second goal was both deserved and something of sheer delight.
Haaland beat four Leipzig player’s in the middle of the park, played it to Sancho who received a side foot flick off Guerreiro and stood a wonderful cross to the back post that is meat, drink and any other perishable item that can be consumed by Haaland. A brilliant goal all round.
Haaland got his second and twenty-fifth Bundesliga goal in twenty-five games when he rounded Gulacsi.
Leipzig got a consolation through substitute Alexander Sorloth who slammed in from point blank range at the back post in the last minute.
MOTM: Jadon Sancho
Again made one and scored one. Didn’t dominate the game like we want to see but when he contributed it mattered. Solid finish for the first goal and ‘sick’ cross for the second.
RB Leipzig, 3-4-3: Gulacsi (GK), Angelino, Orban, Upamecano, Sabitzer (C) (61′->), Haidara (71′->), Poulsen (88′->), Forsberg (61′->), Adams, Halstenberg, Olmo
Subs: Martinez (GK), Hwang (71′->), Klostermann (61′->), Sorloth (61′->), Samardzic (88′->), Mukiele, Borkowski, Martel, Wosz
BVB, 4-2-3-1: Burki (GK), Hummels, Delaney (69′->), Guerreiro, Akanji, Witsel (30′->), Meunier, Reus (C) (85′->), Sancho (85′->), Reyna, Haaland
Subs: Unbehaun (GK), Morey, Zagadou (69′->), Moukoko, Schulz, Brandt (85′->), Piszczek, Can (30′->), Tigges (85′->)
Goals: Sancho 55’, Haaland 71’ 84′, Sorloth 90′
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 