Borussia Dortmund 4-0 Bayer Leverkusen: 5 Hits and Flops from the game | Bundesliga 2019-20
Borussia Dortmund have had a great start to the season, losing just their last game to Union Berlin. Their strong 4-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen places them at the top of the Bundesliga table temporarily.
Bayer Leverkusen entered this game without a loss so far this season. While Dortmund had already picked up a loss, they clearly picked up their confidence as well. Although Bayer took most of the possession and most of the shots at goal, Dortmund played a fluid, sublime game, and went home with the lions share of the spoils.
The first goal of the game came in the 27th minute from a sublime Achraf Hakimi early cross. The ball was cleared out of Bayer's box to the right-wing. Hakimi picked up the ball from between two confused Bayer players who left him unmarked and failed to even trail him. He had all the time in the world to look up and give an inch-perfect pass to a just-onside Paco Alcacer. The centre striker flicked the ball past the keeper easily with his left foot and opened the scoring.
BVB's second goal was a complete team effort, right after half time, but it was many thanks to Bayer's poor handling of the ball. The ball was stolen and sent back down the right flank to an unmarked Jadon Sancho. He flew down the wing with the ball, near the byline, and gave a low cross towards Paco Alcacer. The Spaniard confused the Leverkusen defence with a simple dummy that left one defender on the ground. The ball continued on its' path to an oncoming Marco Reus who brilliantly finished into the bottom left corner of the post.
The third goal for Dortmund came from yet another counter-attack, with only three Bayer defenders against three BVB attackers. A loose ball was lifted through the air to the right-wing to find Sancho. His low cross to the far post was parried by the keeper, but the ball found its' way into the path of Raphael Guerreiro. The left-back was spot on in his finishing as he put the ball in an empty Bayer Leverkusen net.
However, that was not all. In the dying moments of the game, a quick flick-on header sent Borussia Dortmund on a right-wing counter once again. A through-ball to unmarked substitute striker Jacob Bruun Larsen sent Dortmund into Bayer's box once again. A low cross from Larsen to a marauding Reus on the left was all that was needed to score yet another goal. Marco Reus sent the keeper diving left and placed the ball with a low hard shot into the right-bottom corner of the goal.
This 4-0 rout gives Borussia Dortmund all the confidence they need to take on Barcelona come Tuesday. Bayer Leverkusen play a lesser team in Locomotiv Moscow as well, and it is left for them to grow the confidence they'll need for that outing, especially after a horrid defensive display.
We take a look at five players who impressed or played poorly during this Bundesliga clash.
#5 Hit - Thomas Delaney
While much of the drama and excitement seemed to happen in the final third of Bayer Leverkusen's box, all four goals actually caught the Bayer defence napping. In reality, much of the game was controlled by Leverkusen, even in terms of possession and chances in front of goal.
However, thanks to Thomas Delaney's defensive output, the Bayer attack was frustrated beyond words. The 28-year-old Dane made four clearances, seven interceptions, and five tackles. He even committed four fouls - the most by a single player on the whole pitch - during the game.
Delaney helped to keep the constant onslaught at bay, allowing his team to drive forward on those quick counters that won the game.
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