Borussia Dortmund’s new journey with Peter Bosz didn’t start in grand fashion. The Black and Yellows were defeated on penalties by Champions Bayern, in the DFL Supercup. Christian Pulisic’s early goal was equalized by former Dortmunder Robert Lewandowski.
In the second half, Aubameyang once again put the home side into the lead, but that too was equalized when keeper Roman Bürki, failed to clear the scramble in the box and ended up scoring an own goal, just two minutes from time.
There were some decent performances on the night and here are the Dortmund player ratings as they suffer their first defeat of the season.
Roman Bürki (8/10):
Made some great saves to constantly keep out the relentless Bayern Munich attack. At the end, however, he failed to hold onto the ball inside his own box, resulting in a morale-breaking equalizer from the visitors.
Łukasz Piszczek (6.5/10):
Looked out of sorts for most parts of the game. He was slow at first to start with, then the constant runs from Ribéry and Rafinha were just too much to handle.
Sokratis (7.5/10):
The high defensive line took a toll on the Greek International. While he was okay to deal with the likes of Lewandowski, it was the runs in behind the defence which severely troubled the defensive stalwart.
Marc Bartra (7.5/10):
Didn’t do enough to make a difference. Bartra largely complemented the midfielders and Sokratis, in possession phases. If he can play up to his potential, however, he might be an instant hit under Peter Bosz’s tactical ideology.
Dan-Axel Zagadou (6.5/10):
The young fullback had to be drafted into the starting lineup due to Marcel Schmelzer’s injury. He was slow against Joshua Kimmich, and notably left a huge gap in behind, which was brilliantly utilized by the Bayern youngster to provide the equalizer. However, making your debut against Bayern is certainly a way to go!
Nuri Sahin (7/10):
Didn’t do much to be remembered for. Sahin was atrocious, to say the least. Falling to keep the midfield in shape, the Turkish midfielder also lacked the dynamism, even though he covered a lot of ground on the night.
Gonzalo Castro (7/10):
Castro hasn’t really been a great player for Dortmund in recent months. The former Leverkusen midfielder often disappoints against strong opposition as was the case against Bayern.
Mahmoud Dahoud (7/10):
Had his flashy moments early on but was largely seen running around the pitch vying for the loose balls. He was replaced by Sebastian Rode in the second half.
Ousmané Dembéle (8.5/10):
Showed his ability with the ball in the first phase of the game. Dembéle’s offensive qualities certainly was an issue for the Reds. Teed up the chance for Aubameyang, for BVB’S second of the game.
Christian Pulisic (8.5/10):
Had a very bright start to the game where he kept dribbling past the Bayern defenders. His willingness to press the opposing centre backs was rewarded, when Javi Martinez made a mistake, allowing him to score from an easy finish.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (8.5/10):
He was very good. Playing as a striker, Auba constantly pressurized the opposing centre backs, with his pace. His delightful finish also gave Dortmund the lead in the 71st minute. A relatively good day at the office for Gabonese International.
Subs
Sebastian Rode (8/10):
Bringing on Rode in place of Mahmoud Dahoud at the start of the second half was an interesting decision by the Dutchman but one that paid off pretty well. Given his qualities as a ball winner, Dortmund suddenly started winning a lot of balls in the opposition half.
Felix Passlack (6.5/10):
Replaced Dan-Axel Zagadou to bring more freshness into the play. However that proved to be a costly move for Peter Bosz as the youngster shouldered Joshua Kimmich, and the resulting free kick ended up as the Bayern equalizer.
Maximilian Philipp (NA):
Came on at the 90th minute, replacing Christian Pulisic. Did well to score his penalty in the shootout.
