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Marco Reus celebrates his opening goal
Photo: IMAGO/kolbert-press/Marc Niemeyer / IMAGO/kolbert-press
Borussia Dortmund has presented in the fight for the top of the table in the Bundesliga.
BVB won their home game against RB Leipzig 2-1 (2-0).
When he met ex-coach Marco Rose again, captain Marco Reus took the lead with a penalty kick that he had previously taken himself (21st minute), Emre Can increased before the break (39th).
After the break, RB pressed for the equalizer, but only came through Emil Forsberg (74th).
For Dortmund it was the tenth win in the tenth game of the 2023 calendar year.
Not only the form curve of the clubs, but also the standings promised a high-class Friday evening game in Dortmund: Second in the table received fourth, it was at least about the Champions League places, possibly even about putting table leaders Bayern Munich under pressure in a long-distance duel.
Both teams had to do without top performers: RB Leipzig's goalkeeper Péter Gulácsi will be out for a long time due to a cruciate ligament tear, and his BVB counterpart Gregor Kobel also had to pass shortly before kick-off.
Muscular problems plagued the Swiss, so the goalkeeper duel was between Alexander Meyer (Dortmund) and Janis Blaswich (Leipzig).
RB also complained about a short-term failure, national striker Timo Werner was only sick on the bench as an emergency reserve.
Leipzig starts furiously, then comes Dortmund
Both teams pushed the pace early on.
In the first ten minutes, Leipzig had four shots, but Christopher Nkunku missed the most dangerous goal after he had escaped Can after a long ball (7th).
BVB then seized control of the game and immediately celebrated, albeit prematurely: Julian Brandt used a strong pass from Jude Bellingham to put himself in the lead.
However, the goal didn't count because the ball hit Brandt's arm when it was accepted (13').
Reus with a record goal, Can with the preliminary decision
Dortmund, however, stayed on the trigger, Leipzig often only knew how to help themselves with fouls in midfield.
And not only there: After an outside instep pass from Marius Wolf, Reus wanted to turn around Blaswich, but the Leipzig keeper brought Dortmund's captain down in the penalty area.
With the following penalty, Reus not only scored the lead, he also scored his 159th competitive goal for the black and yellow and drew level with record holder Michael Zorc (21st).
Although Leipzig continued to play well, the guests' offensive faltered a bit.
Marcel Halstenberg approached again (35'), then the second ball landed at Can after a Brandt free-kick.
He took aim from 20 meters, the touchdown was deflected and overwhelmed Blaswich, who got his hand on the ball but still had to let the shot pass (39').
Leipzig is coming back, Dortmund is trembling to the finish
In the second half of the game, both goalkeepers were able to excel again: Blaswich, by keeping his Leipzig in the game with a lightning-fast reaction against a Reus-Schlenzer (67th), and Meyer, when he scored the goal against André Silva in a one-on-one prevented (69th).
But Leipzig now had the bigger game shares and the better chances.
Forsberg (74th) took advantage of the fact that Nico Schlotterbeck's BVB defense failed to sideline David Raum on the left wing.
After a pass from Xaver Schlager, the national player had plenty of time and space to play for the Swede who had run with him.
In order to turn the game completely upside down, Dortmund defended too calmly in the final phase.
Werner, who came on late as a substitute, still had a great chance of equalizing in injury time, Schlotterbeck blocked the goal line (90+4).
The following corner was also dangerous, but Meyer saved against Forsberg.
In the table, BVB is temporarily at the top with 49 points, but FC Bayern can overtake them again with a win at VfB Stuttgart on Saturday evening.
Leipzig is in fourth place with 42 points.
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