Borussia Dortmund closed the gap on Bayern Munich to seven points as Marco Rose’s side secured their third victory in four Bundesliga games with a 1-0 win over Arminia Bielefeld at Signal Iduna Park.
BVB got up and running with 20 minutes on the clock as Marius Wolf’s tap-in finish rounded off a fantastic team move to give Dortmund the lead.
The hosts could have had a chance to go 2-0 up in the first half as they were initially awarded a penalty for a handball by Robin Hack in the box, but after consulting VAR, the referee overturned his original decision.
The closest Dortmund came in the second half to doubling their advantage was through Donyell Malen, as the Dutchman’s powerful shot from the edge of the area smacked against the crossbar.
Dortmund held on to secure their 11th home league win of the season.
Arminia Bielefeld, on the other hand, suffer their third successive Bundesliga defeat.
TALKING POINT – BIG WIN FOR DORTMUND
Despite the performance not being the best we have seen this season by Dortmund’s standards, Marco Rose’s side got the job done in the end, against an Arminia Bielefeld team scrapping it out at the bottom end of the table.
In terms of expected goals (xG), Dortmund amassed a value of 2.69, highlighting that key chances that were created were not taken. That lack of cutting edge put BVB under pressure in the closing stages as Bielefeld tried to go for the equaliser, but the home side held firm to close the gap to Bayern.
It now means that there rescheduled game in hand against Mainz next week holds huge significance, as a win would put Dortmund just four points behind Bayern in the Bundesliga table, and reignite a title race that many thought was dead in the water.
Further positives for Borussia Dortmund were the returns of Erling Haaland and Giovanni Reyna, and both players will be crucial for BVB in their run-in.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – THORGAN HAZARD
Borussia Dortmund’s Belgian playmaker, who was playing as an attacking midfielder, put in a performance of the highest quality, which was capped off with a superb assist for Marius Wolf’s goal in the first half.
The 28-year-old latched on to a ball played out wide by Jude Bellingham, before squaring it to Wolf in the box for the easiest of tap-ins.
In total, the Belgian made three key passes, had one successful dribble, and won two aerial duels.
PLAYER RATINGS
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel 8, Passlack 7, Can 7, Pongracic 7, Schulz 6, Dahoud 7, Witsel 7, Bellingham 6, Hazard 8, Wolf 7, Malen 7. Subs: Reyna 6, Haaland 6, Brandt 6, Maloney 6.
Arminia Bielefeld: Ortega 6, Brunner 6, Pieper 7, Andrade 6, Bello 6, Vasiliadis 6, Schopf 7, Wimmer 66, Okugawa 6, Hack 6, Lasme 6. Subs: Ince 6, Klos 6.
KEY MOMENTS
20’ GOAL! (Marius Wolf) – What a great team goal by Dortmund! An initial free-kick set-piece comes in from Hazard, but it is headed out back to the path of Bellingham on the edge of the box. He shifts the ball and plays an outstanding pass out to his right for Hazard, who crosses the ball low into the box and Wolf has an easy tap-in.
30’ – PENALTY OVERTURNED! – The referee overturns his initial call to award Dortmund a penalty after a handball by Hack in the box, which was very harsh. The ball bounced off his leg straight onto his arm, which was by his side. After being told to view the pitchside monitor by VAR, he overturns his initial decision and Bielefeld survive.
58’ – OFF THE BAR! – So unlucky from Donyell Malen as his shot smacks the crossbar! He hits a shot from an acute angle from the right edge of the box with power, and Ortega was beaten as he just watched the ball smack against the upright.
82’ – WHAT A CHANCE! – A clinical breakaway almost results in a goal for BVB! Brandt leads the charge and has Haaland alongside him. He tees the forward up, who plays a deft backheel flick to play in Reyna to his left on the outside shoulder, but the American’s effort trickles wide of the far post!
