Borussia Dortmund is in the final 16 games of the DFB-Pokal with a lot of luck. The brave appearance of Union Berlinbut also the high road Lucien Favre has hindered the game of black and yellow. Most Reinrotierten were not able to make a convincing request for a regular 3: 2 spot in front of their home decor.
Lucien Favre had to breathe deeply once. The relief was Borussia Dortmund's coach after the narrow entry into the knockout round of the literally written Cup in the face. "It was very, very difficult," said Favre, "but in the end, we managed – only what matters."
The Swiss, 60, had two reasons to celebrate Wednesday night: he was undefeated in the BVB coach's 3-2 draw with Union Berlin and set Thomas Tuchel's record for the season. 2015/16.
Marco Reus prevents BVB's failures
But he did not want to jump in the air. His BVB had no stain of glory in the duel with the third of the second division. Only a penalty from substitute Marco Reus in extra time in the second half helped avoid a sensation at Signal Iduna Park.
The brave outsider of the capital had already cleared twice by Sebastian Polter – and showed that the league leaders endowed with a disciplined defense, including in the form of a chain of six defenders, as well as insolent and provocative counterattacks to reflection, are rather frenetic.
"After such a performance," greeted the Union coach, Urs Fischer, "The pride prevails on We offered 120 minutes to Dortmund."
Lucien Favre has seven new players
The less than solid presentation of black and yellow, however, was also explained as a result of their coach's training. Favre has beaten his team after many weeks in England, compared to 2: 2 last Saturday against Hertha BSC, seven more in the starting lineup.
A risky experience. BVB lost the security and power of recent weeks, his game was characterized by the opposite half of many misunderstandings.
Among the pure Rotated, only the two scorers Christian Pulisic and Maximilian Philipp are advertising for their own account. Pulisic was even directly involved in all three goals and led the most duels of all field players (33). However, the Americans and Philipp count in their permanent workforce. Marwin Hitz, Toprak Ömer, Julian Weigl, Shinji Kagawa and Marius Wolf can not necessarily say the same. They had the chance to recommend themselves. The result was rather average.
BVB is critical: "This is not our best game"
Although Hitz made two solid saves in his competitive debut as BVB goalkeeper, he led a scoreless run with his fall before the 2-2 draw. Toprak seemed heavy after his long ball injury, a pbad to Hitz too early in the first minute would have allowed Union to start well in the dream.
Weigl, who led captain Dortmund on the field, let his opponents slip on both goals and prevailed in the same way as in the match. Kagawa saved his efforts, but compared to the old days, but a pale appearance with his head in the 40th minute, which initiated the 1-0 by Pulisic. And Wolf, the newcomer from Frankfurt, remained virtually invisible with only 56 balloon actions in 90 minutes.
"It was not our best match, we know," said striker Reus after the final whistle. "Of course, we want to solve the problem as Borussia Dortmund against Union Berlin in 90 minutes, but in football, there are such days, if you succeed, everything is fine."
Likewise, Favre saw it. It was not the first time that he looked bad against Union, an "aggressive" opponent and "difficult to destabilize," recalled the coach of the match. October 2016, who decided the game of BVB only on penalties.
Abdou Diallo enlarges the Borussia Dortmund military hospital
The conclusion therefore: erase the mouth and continue. The realization that the second black and yellow suit is still in the process of intervention will hardly prevent Favre to put it in the next games. The fine coverage of the staff just can not be otherwise.
In Abdou Diallo injured against Union, even another regular force. Favre predicted that the left-back complainant complaining of a groin problem would miss several games. Lukasz Piszczek (knee bruises), Manuel Akanji (hip problems), Jeremy Toljan (knee problems) and Marcel Schmelzer (bone edema) are already five defensive players at the Dortmund hospital.
