Borussia Dortmund restarted their Bundesliga campaign in the best way possible, securing a 4-0 win over arch-rivals Schalke in the Revierderby. The visitors started the game well, but first-half goals from Erling Haaland and Raphael Guerreiro put Dortmund on the driving seat.
In the second-half, Thorgan Hazard scored the third, helping the home side virtually seal all three points before Guerreiro added further gloss to the scoreline by scoring his second, in the 63rd minute. Here are the Borussia Dortmund players rated in their win over Schalke.
Borussia Dortmund players rated in their win over Schalke
Roman Burki (6/10)
Barely had anything to do as Schalke produced very little threat going forward. In fact, the Royal Blues only had three shots on target, none of which troubled the Swiss goalkeeper.
Lukasz Piszczek (8.5/10)
Lukasz Piszczek was arguably the best defender for Borussia Dortmund this evening. He marked Amine Harit really well, effectively minimising Schalke’s attacking firepower.
Mats Hummels (8/10)
Mats Hummels led the backline with his neat passes and aggressive tackling. Notably made one eye-catching tackle in the second half to stop Rabbi Matondo from attempting a shot on goal.
Manuel Akanji (7.5/10)
Filling in for the injured Dan-Axel Zagadou, Manuel Akanji enjoyed a decent outing. He looked fresh with his ball distribution and provided security in the backline.
Achraf Hakimi (9/10)
One of the best performers this evening, Hakimi’s terrifying runs down the right-hand side caused a myriad of problems for the Schalke backline. Indeed, the Moroccan threaded in several crosses, keeping the opposition busy throughout the game.
Thomas Delaney (8/10)
Thomas Delaney was impressive despite having played minimal football this season. Some excellent tackling and covering saw Dortmund dominate the middle third of the pitch.
Mahmoud Dahoud (7.5/10)
Mahmoud Dahoud wasn’t as bright as Delaney, especially during the first phase of the game. But, he did find it comfortable as the game wore on.
Raphael Guerreiro (9.5/10)
Much like Hakimi, Guerreiro starred for Borussia Dortmund in the wingback slot. His combination play on the flanks was excellent, and the Portuguese showed remarkable composure to score two goals.
Julian Brandt (10/10)
Julian Brandt was by far the most influential figure in today’s encounter. He was involved in three of the four goals. But aside from that, the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man dictated the play with his clever footwork and excellent link-up play in the final third.
Thorgan Hazard (8.5/10)
Hazard replaced Giovanni Reyna early in the game after the young American picked up an injury during training. The Belgian did an excellent job of replacing him, notably scoring the third goal.
Erling Haaland (9/10)
It took Haaland only 29 minutes to rediscover his scoring form, despite having played no football within the past two months. The Norwegian linked up well with the likes of Guerreiro and Brandt, helping Dortmund dominate the proceedings.
SUBSTITUTES
Leonardo Balerdi (7/10)
Replaced the tiring Delaney just after the hour mark. The young Argentine operated as a holding midfielder.
Jadon Sancho (N/A)
A late sub for Hazard after missing out from the starting lineup due to lack of fitness.
Marcel Schmelzer (N/A)
Replaced Guerreiro late in the game.
Mario Gotze (N/A)
A late replacement for Dahoud.