Borussia Dortmund were outrageously good as they absolutely torn apart a hapless Gladbach to register a 6:1 victory at the Signal Iduna Park. After the slow start to the game, the Black and Yellows were quick to pounce on their created chances.
Maximilian Philipp bagged a brace in the first half, while Aubameyang scored his fourth hat-trick in the Bundesliga and at the end, returning midfielder Julian Weigl scored with a stunning finish from a volley just outside the penalty area for his first goal in the Bundesliga.
Here are the Dortmund players rated in their sensational drubbing of Borussia Monchengladbach.
Roman Burki (8.5/10): Fully committed to preserving his sixth consecutive clean sheet, Burki made some great saves throughout the game. However, an unlucky deflection created a perfect opportunity for Lars Stindl to score the first-ever goal against the Swiss goalkeeper this season. But an amazing performance from Burki in goal nonetheless.
Lukasz Piszczek (8/10): Solid as ever, Borussia Dortmund’s very own Mr. Reliable showed his true class today. Piszczek will definitely be a crucial player for Dortmund against Real Madrid this midweek.
Sokratis (8.5/10): Was very effective with his forward balls. Although he did get caught at times on the break by the pacy Gladbach attackers, it was Sokratis’ build-up play which attracted the most attention. His through-ball resulted in Philipp’s second goal of the match.
Omer Toprak (8.5/10): Another top class performance from the Turkish International. Toprak seems to be growing in confidence at his new club at the moment. His long balls were so effective tonight. It remains to see whether or not will he start against Real Madrid in midweek.
Jeremy Toljan (9/10): Showed why he should be Dortmund’s first choice left-back this season with an incredibly effective performance on the left flank. His linkup play with the attackers was simply astonishing.
Julian Weigl (9.5/10): Made his first ever start after coming back from injury last week and marked this occasion with an incredible outing against the Foals. Although starting the game a bit slowly, Weigl made himself comfortable as the game progressed. Gave the ball away in the 16th minute and that was the last time he ever set a foot wrong. He was rewarded for his brilliance with a stunning long-range effort, finding the back of the net.
Mahmoud Dahoud (9/10): Played very well throughout the game. Dahoud looked really good with his movements and clever passing. His linkup plays initiated a lot of attacks from Dortmund while he managed to bag an assist as well. Dahoud is already making himself heard in his new club.
Mario Gotze (8.5/10): Although he didn’t manage to get onto the scoreline, Mario Gotze deserved the goal more than anyone else on the pitch. Gotze served as an important transition man for Dortmund in the middle. He stayed compact with his teammates and flooded in with loads of chances into the box with some neat passing and clever movements.
Christian Pulisic (9/10): It wasn’t a great first half for Pulisic but the American went all guns blazing in the second half. Unstoppable with his runs into the defence, Pulisic caused havoc for the Gladbach defensive line. He was unlucky not to score a goal.
Maximilian Philipp (10/10): One of the best players of the night, Maxi Philipp is in fiery form at the moment. Two well-taken goals were enough to prove his credentials as a top draw forward. He has now scored two back to back braces in two consecutive home matches. Some way to announce yourself to your new club!
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (10/10): This has to be one of the best matches Aubameyang has played in Dortmund colours. He was much more than just a regular goal-scorer tonight as he created a lot of chances by tracking back and create plays from a deeper position. Fans will hope that he will keep his form intact against Real Madrid in midweek.
Subs
Shinji Kagawa (8.5/10): Made a quick impact after replacing Christian Pulisic around the hour mark. Kagawa was clinical in possession and very neat with his passes. Especially his cross field balls, which literally opened up the entire Gladbach defence time and time again.
Dan-Axel Zagadou (NA): Replaced a tiring Lukasz Piszczek for the final quarter of the game. Zagadou remained solid for the rest of the game.
Marc Bartra (NA): It was nice to see him back in action after sustaining an injury against Freiburg two weeks ago. He’ll be available to play against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
