Borussia Dortmund edged past a strong Werder team, after trailing early on in the game, to secure a 4:3 win, in a fascinating encounter. The win helps finish their season on a good note, as they became the 17th side to directly qualify for the Champions League this season after finishing third. Zlatko Junuzovic put the visitors in front early on in the game, but goals from Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang turned the game on its head within the first half. However, Bremen did score after just 40 seconds from the restart to restore parity but two late penalties meant they wasted a golden opportunity to qualify for the Europa League.
Here are the best and the worst rated Dortmund players in their amazing victory over the Green and Whites.
Roman Burki(7.5/10): Made a spectacular save from the goal line, but unfortunately he was just a little too late as the ball had already crossed the line. Also made some other crucial saves to keep Dortmund in the contest.
Erik Durm(7.5/10): Had a good time on the right wing, as he made his comeback after an injury layoff. Linked up well with teammates but was subbed off at half time, probably because of safety precautions.
Matthias Ginter(7/10): Again a disappointing performance from Matthias Ginter, who finally looks to be leaving the Signal Iduna Park this upcoming summer as he is heavily linked with Hoffenheim. Most of the Dortmund fans might actually welcome his departure.
Sokratis(8.5/10): Another solid performance in the backline, the Greek defender has been completely reinvigorated after the departure of Mats Hummels. Did extremely well to contain the opposition with his hard tackling and important interceptions.
Marc Bartra(8/10): Had an emotional comeback, as he went out on the pitch for the first time after being attacked a few weeks ago. Bailed out Sokratis once, when the Greek International was caught high on his heels, but Bartra made a splendid challenge to keep out Werder from getting the shot in. Fell into tears after the final whistle in what he calls ‘tears of joy’.
Raphael Guerreiro(8/10): Excelled in the offensive department as he was pivotal in the final third for the home side. Put in several dangerous crosses, linked up incredibly well with teammates, and also tried a few long range efforts, which wasn’t bad either.
Nuri Sahin(7.5/10): A sloppy game for the Turkish International. Sahin got outpaced on several occasions and was also extremely sloppy defending against the opposition. However, his passing and overall distribution were world class. He was the one initiating Dortmund’s first goal, with a classy vertical pass.
Ousmane Dembele(8/10): He had a great game where he owned the defence time and time again. His chipped ball in for Aubameyang was a testament to the qualities, the 20-year-old possesses.
Shinji Kagawa(9.5/10): It was one of Kagawa’s best games for Dortmund, in a long time. He was the one doing all the creative stuff in the final third, as he wriggled through the Bremen defence, relentlessly. His assist to Marco Reus was just perfect while he also came up with the pass which led to the first penalty. This is the Kagawa we used to know of in the past!
Marco Reus(10/10): Simply a beast! Marco Reus finally looked to be in his former self. He commitment played a driving figure for Dortmund throughout the game. Not only he scored two goals but also showed incredible spirit and resilience which made him almost impossible to contain. Surely the best player of this matchday!
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang(9.5/10): Was livid with joy when he converted the penalty to seal the top scorers crown for the first time ever. His final tally of 31 goals is truly sublime and proved why he’s touted as one of the best strikers in world football.
