Borussia Dortmund have taken another step away from the Bundesliga relegation battle thanks to a brilliant Marco Reus and an incredible amount of desire. Last season’s runners-up put in a first-class second-half display to come away from a goal-laden encounter with 1. FSV Mainz 05 as 4-2 winners. The victory sees BVB move level on points with the 05ers, lifting them out of the relegation zone and into 14th for now.
Friday night’s fixture on matchday 21 started with a bang as Elkin Soto put the visitors into a surprise 1-0 lead, a goal that dampened the positive pre-match atmosphere in Signal Iduna Park following BVB’s 3-0 win over SC Freiburg and Germany international Marco Reus’ contract extension during the week – until half time at least. Goals from Neven Subotic and then man-of-the-moment Reus turned the tide just ten minutes after the restart, but Mainz hit back in the 57th minute with Yunus Malli levelling the scores at 2-2. Dortmund went through the gears though and ensured the three points stayed in the Ruhr Valley courtesy of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s eighth goal of the season following a sensation Reus cross, as well as a Nuri Sahin volley.
Hofmann makes comeback against former club
Apart from the injured Kevin Großkreutz and the ill Mats Hummels, BVB manager Jürgen Klopp sent out the same side that claimed a much-needed win in Freiburg last weekend. Dortmund loanee Jonas Hofmann was in the Mainz starting XI, celebrating his comeback from a long injury break against his parent club.
The match got off to a flying start. A punch away from Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller fell to Soto and the midfielder hit a looping volley into the back of the hosts’ net inside one minute. Reus looked to reply immediately for Borussia, but saw his powerful shot come back off the upright.
BVB turn the tide
The next chance followed soon after, but Aubameyang was kept at bay by Stefanos Kapino, who was deputising for the suspended Loris Karius in the Mainz goal. Dortmund controlled the play for the remainder of the half but were unable to create any more notable scoring chances. Mainz were looking to pounce on the counter, but they too failed to find a way through to goal.
The second half started as furiously as the first, with a Subotic header and a neat finish from Reus putting BVB 2-1 ahead after 55 minutes. However, Mainz hit back with a well taken goal from Malli, meaning things were level at the hour mark. It was Jürgen Klopp’s side who took the game by the scruff of the neck after that though, with Marco Reus’ stunning diagonal ball allowing Aubameyang to poke home, before Sahin volleyed home a rebound after previous goalscorer Aubameyang saw his free kick saved, wrapping up a 4-2 victory.
Borussia Dortmund have taken another step away from the Bundesliga relegation battle thanks to a brilliant Marco Reus and an incredible amount of desire. Last season’s runners-up put in a first-class second-half display to come away from a goal-laden encounter with 1. FSV Mainz 05 as 4-2 winners. The victory sees BVB move level on points with the 05ers, lifting them out of the relegation zone and into 14th for now.
Friday night’s fixture on matchday 21 started with a bang as Elkin Soto put the visitors into a surprise 1-0 lead, a goal that dampened the positive pre-match atmosphere in Signal Iduna Park following BVB’s 3-0 win over SC Freiburg and Germany international Marco Reus’ contract extension during the week – until half time at least. Goals from Neven Subotic and then man-of-the-moment Reus turned the tide just ten minutes after the restart, but Mainz hit back in the 57th minute with Yunus Malli levelling the scores at 2-2. Dortmund went through the gears though and ensured the three points stayed in the Ruhr Valley courtesy of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s eighth goal of the season following a sensation Reus cross, as well as a Nuri Sahin volley.
Hofmann makes comeback against former club
Apart from the injured Kevin Großkreutz and the ill Mats Hummels, BVB manager Jürgen Klopp sent out the same side that claimed a much-needed win in Freiburg last weekend. Dortmund loanee Jonas Hofmann was in the Mainz starting XI, celebrating his comeback from a long injury break against his parent club.
The match got off to a flying start. A punch away from Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller fell to Soto and the midfielder hit a looping volley into the back of the hosts’ net inside one minute. Reus looked to reply immediately for Borussia, but saw his powerful shot come back off the upright.
BVB turn the tide
The next chance followed soon after, but Aubameyang was kept at bay by Stefanos Kapino, who was deputising for the suspended Loris Karius in the Mainz goal. Dortmund controlled the play for the remainder of the half but were unable to create any more notable scoring chances. Mainz were looking to pounce on the counter, but they too failed to find a way through to goal.
The second half started as furiously as the first, with a Subotic header and a neat finish from Reus putting BVB 2-1 ahead after 55 minutes. However, Mainz hit back with a well taken goal from Malli, meaning things were level at the hour mark. It was Jürgen Klopp’s side who took the game by the scruff of the neck after that though, with Marco Reus’ stunning diagonal ball allowing Aubameyang to poke home, before Sahin volleyed home a rebound after previous goalscorer Aubameyang saw his free kick saved, wrapping up a 4-2 victory.
