VfL Wolfsburg 0-1 Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund came to this Bundesliga game against Wolfsburg with a bit of pressure. It was important for them to win against the Wolves if they want to keep Bayern Munich off their tails and avenge their frustrating result against Hertha Berlin.
It seemed like the game was doomed to end as another tie during the second half, but a strong outing for the BVB saw them keep the top spot.
Moreover, their captain was the toast of many Dortmund pubs as he scored the only goal of the game.
Highlights of the game
Both the BVB and Die Wolfe knew that the visitors are the favourites according to pre-match Wolfsburg vs Borussia Dortmund predictions. They lived up to the predictions by starting the game with much purpose from the wings. Expecting the onslaught, Wolfsburg weathered the storm for the first five minutes.
Jadon Sancho took multiple corner attempts to force the first goal for the Bundesliga leaders, but the Wolfsburg defence was steady during the opening minutes of the match. Wolfsburg eventually got to besieging the Dortmund goal as William, Josip Brekalo and Wout Weghorst led the Wolves on the attack.
However, they weren’t able to break the Dortmund backline that has proven itself to be one of the most efficient defences in the Bundesliga. Moreover, the BVB managed to get ahead of Wolfsburg in the 27th minute thanks to brilliant play from their captain.
Sancho had the ball deep in the right of the Wolfsburg penalty box and allowed his team-mates to position themselves inside the box before making the long cross. Thomas Delaney connected with the football and headed it to the free Marco Reus. The captain then coolly slotted the ball home. The Volkswagen Arena was rendered quiet for a good thirty seconds.
Wolfsburg knew that they had to equalise before the half is over if they want to have an easier time in the second half, and that’s exactly what they did. They hounded the Dortmund defence time and time again, forcing Dan-Axel Zagadou and Delaney to commit hard fouls that got them carded.
At the end of the half, however, it almost looked like Borussia Dortmund were going to score again. The BVB were connecting once more. Their sheer dominance on the football had the Wolves defending with everything they had in order to avoid a difficult 2-0 ditch.
The first half ended with no one else scoring and Dortmund ahead on points. Bruno Labbadia has a tough job against him as they have to stop a team with the likes of Reus, Sancho and Paco Alcacer while looking for a scoring opportunity themselves.
The second half began with Achraf Hakimi looking to add to his team’s superb goal tally this season, but the Wolfsburg defence was able to collect the ball and mount an attack of their own.
What ensued within the next ten minutes of the reset was a midfield battle for both teams as Wolfsburg continued their attempt to defy Wolfsburg vs Dortmund predictions. Maximilian Arnold almost pulled off an equaliser from 25 metres. Unfortunately for him, he missed the left post by a single hair.
After Arnold’s threatening 58th-minute attempt, Dortmund continued to dominate possession by making short passes to keep the ball beyond Wolfsburg’s reach. However, the Wolves have a small victory as the amazing Alcacer wasn’t able to make his mark on the field. He was subsequently taken off by Favre in the 78th minute.
Wolfsburg could taste the equaliser and pushed the Dortmund backline to their utmost limit during the last minutes of the game, continuously pushing forward to challenge Roman Burki’s clean sheet. However, Dortmund were able to keep their defensive wall solid and cruise to the end of the match for a comfortable 0-1 victory at the Volkswagen Arena.
Key statistics
This victory now extends Borussia Dortmund’s incredible unbeaten run to 18 games in all competitions, including friendlies set before and during the season. The impressive run of form is a testament to the superb attacking football that they have been playing under Favre.
This also means that the BVB won six of their last seven matches. What makes this game a bit concerning for the BVB was the winning margin of four of those six victories. They have dominated the Wolves by at least three goals during the stretch between April 2016 and August 2017. However, this could also mean that Wolfsburg are slowly getting better as a football club.
BVB didn’t dominate the game the same way they did during their frustrating draw against Hertha Berlin. While they had 56% possession and 12 shots on target, only one of those shots were on target. However, their defence was on point as Burki made three great saves and the defence managed to block five shot attempts.
What’s next?
There are still many Bundesliga 2018 highlights to come, and Dortmund will be providing the most exciting one yet! They will be facing Bayern Munich for the latest chapter of Der Klassiker, and this six-pointer could very well decide which club will stand atop the tight league table. They have to beat Atletico Madrid in the Champions League beforehand, though.
Wolfsburg have a chance to get back to winning ways when they face Hannover 96 next. Last season’s overachievers are now struggling to get out of the relegation zone, so this should be an easy three points for the Wolves.
Keep your eyes peeled on the SBOBET Bundesliga 2018 page for the best odds regarding these big matches.
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