Borussia Dortmund finally returned to winning ways in the Bundesliga with an unconvincing 2-1 win away to Eintracht Braunschweig on Friday evening.
The visitors took the lead with the best move of the first half, as Robert Lewandowski played a one-two with Marco Reus before clipping across to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
In the second half Braunschweig levelled through Benjamin Kessel, but the points went the way of BVB as Aubameyang found space on the left to finish low.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello Bundesliga fans! Week 19 is upon us and what better way to get the weekend underway that Borussia Dortmund? They take on bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig, but it certainly won't be easy for them tonight.
Braunschweig are bottom, yes, but they have shown fight recently. A very important win before the winter break was followed by a draw last time out and they are only five points adrift of safety as it stands - four, if you include the relegation playoff spot that doesn't guarantee the drop.
Dortmund have been shattered by injuries this season and have slipped 17 points behind current holders Bayern Munich. It could well be too late for them to recover from that, but in any case they simply have to get back to winning days after no victory in four. Jakub Blaszczykowski's injury, which will see him miss the rest of the season, will not help.
Let's take a look at who's playing tonight, shall we? The team news is in and I'll get it right across.
BRAUNSCHWEIG XI: Davari; Kessel, Bicakcic, Dogan, Reichel; Theuerkauf, Hochscheidt, Boland, Elabdellaoui; Nielsen, Ademi
DORTMUND XI: Weidenfeller; Schmelzer, Hummels, Sokratis, Grosskreutz; Bender, Sahin; Reus, Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang; Lewandowski
Big news then for Dortmund. Mats Hummels is back! He replaces Sven Bender at the back, with the latter moving back into midfield alongside Nuri Sahin. It's Sebastian Kehl who misses out, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang replacing Kuba on the right. New signing Milos Jojic does not take part.
For the hosts, Jan Hochscheidt is handed a start in the middle of midfield and comes in for Marc Pfitzner. Havard Nielsen, who impressed on his debut last time out, is given another chance up front alongside Orhan Ademi.
A look at the odds tells us that Braunschweig are expected to be up against it tonight. I agree to an extent, but the 12/1 odds for them at home against an out-of-form Dortmund could be worth a punt if you're a gambler. Dortmund are around 1/4 in most places.
PREDICTION: Having said all that... I think Dortmund will win this one 2-0. I fancy this to be the game it finally starts to come together for Jurgen Klopp, with Hummels a big boost for the away side.
KICKOFF: The hosts, in yellow, get us started for this game. Let's hope for a classic to start this Bundesliga weekend!
Neither side has taken control of the early stages here. That said, Mirko Boland closes down well and wins the ball from Sahin, before finding Nielsen but his shot is blocked behind.
Bit of a lazy foul that on Lewandowski by Dogan, who was a bit keen to win the ball and ended up trying to go through the Dortmund man to get there. A bit far out for a shot, this, but Reus could swing it in.
Braunschweig have started well, with a good pressing game that has not allowed BVB to settle so far. Bender gives away a foul trying to win it back, before Sokratis powers a header clear from the ball in.
Dortmund try to work themselves into the game. Mkhitaryan, Grosskreutz and Reus combine before a silly foul from Reichel brings him down. This is a dangerous spot for it to be swung in - Reus will need to improve from his last attempt, though.
SHOT! Half-chance at the far post for Bender, after Reus's free kick was flicked on to him. Dogan came out quickly to block and the effort goes behind.
Dortmund beginning to build a bit of pressure, but they have yet to test Davari at all. Mkhitaryan tries to weave into space down the left, but takes the ball out of play instead for a Braunschweig throw.
A poor Hummels clearance gives the ball straight to Ademi, who finds Elabdellaoui to his right. In turn, he tries a one-two with Nielsen, but the second pass is blocked behind, before a Hochscheidt cross is headed over by Kessel.
Dortmund are still stuttering, with by far the better chances falling for the hosts. They break again as Nielsen wins the ball and Hochscheidt looks for Ademi to his left, but this time Hummels does well to come across and clear for a throw.
The visitors are all over the shop at the moment. Not only are they giving the ball away at the back, but that's about the third time they have run it out of play - Grosskreutz on this occasion down the right.
Good, strong defending from Bicakcic as Mkhitaryan looked to get on to a pass down the left. The defender kept up with him, however, and slid in to put it behind for a corner.
Free kick right on the edge of the box for Dortmund as Mkhitaryan is brought down...
SAVE! Davari does well there to keep the ball out and avoid a collision with the post. Sahin curled the free kick over the wall but the keeper got two hands on it to push it away from danger.
GOAL! Braunschweig 0-1 Dortmund (Aubameyang)
Now that is a wonderful goal. Lewandowski plays the neatest of one-twos on the edge of the box, before clipping it over Davari for Aubameyang to arrive and head into the open net. That movement was unplayable.
Braunschweig haven't let the goal upset them. They are unfortunate to be behind, really, as they have had the better chances. But that's what can happen against Dortmund - how can they respond?
BOOKING: Mkhitaryan goes into the book for a foul on the left. That's the first card of the game and it's fair for me. Braunschweig cannot work anything from the set piece.
DISALLOWED GOAL! Even though Dortmund lead, they still aren't playing particularly well. Too many passes are going astray for them. Reus works it right to Grosskreutz, who centres. Lewandowski turns and finds Aubameyang but he's just offside as he fires it in.
It's not looking likely that there will be another goal in this half. Dortmund are playing well in the middle, but moves are falling apart at the moment when they get near the box.
One minute of time added on has been announced. We're about 20 seconds into that.
HALF-TIME: Braunschweig 0-1 Dortmund
Dortmund hold a lead into the break, but really they scarcely deserve it. The goal they scored was top class, but aside from that they have created very little.
Braunschweig will be happy with everything other than the scoreline at the moment. They had a couple of good sights of goal and have been a general manace to their more illustrious opponents, but as it stands they are empty-handed.
It will be important for Dortmund to win when not playing at their best. They haven't been for a while, and also haven't won for four games. A result, any result, could kick-start their Bundesliga campaign.
The players are making their way back out and we'll be back underway very shortly. Hopefully, it will be a better half. I cannot see any changes.
Here we go again then. Dortmund straight on the ball, but Mkhitaryan is crowded out and the hosts clear.
SAVE! Reus ghosts into acres of space down the left and is found by Lewandowski. One-on-one, he hits his effort at Davari and the ball goes out for a corner. He probably should have done better there.
Braunschweig have had a spell of possession in the Dortmund half, but haven't created anything in the opening stages just yet. They aren't panicking and obviously feel that they'll have one or two efforts like in the first half.
The hosts have a corner here, as Kessel tries to get in down the left but his cross is blocked by Schmelzer. The Dortmund left-back has been the best of their defenders so far.
GOAL! Braunschweig 1-1 Dortmund (Benjamin Kessel)
That is awful defending once more for Dortmund! Hochscheidt's corner isn't great, really, but it's allowed to go low to the six-yard box where Kessel taps in from close range. We're level!
Sokratis goes down under the challenge of Nielsen. It was a nasty knock of knees, but he's tough and gets up after 30 seconds or so for the game to carry on.
Braunschweig are not coming under any pressure at the moment. They are getting a little edgy with their passing in midfield, but Davari has had nothing to do since that early chance for Reus in this half.
Dortmund building up a little bit of pressure now. Lewandowski tries to cross first, before Schmelzer's attempt is also blocked - this time behind. It comes on from Reus and is cleared before Theuerkauf goes down and wins a free kick.
GOAL! Braunschweig 1-2 Dortmund (Aubameyang)
Aubameyang is left with far too much space there on the left. Really Kessel was caught ball watching and once played in by Reus, the Gabonese steadied himself before drilling low beyond Davari for 2-1.
BRAUNSCHWEIG SUB: Here's a change for the hosts. Karim Bellarabi is on for Ademi. Can he get his side back in the game?
Dortmund are doing most of the pressing at the moment, but the majority of their shots are being blocked. It's still not guaranteed that they will win this one.
BRAUNSCHWEIG SUB: Another change for the hosts, and it's Dominick Kumbela on for Elabdellaoui. He's almost in straight away, but is quickly closed down.
CHANCE! Lewandowski probably should have scored there! Reus cuts it back to him from the right and with the goal gaping the Pole slides his effort wide. There was a fine block from Kessel in there and it's a corner.
SAVE! Davari is very much involved at the moment. He comes out to meet Reus, who look like he might try the lob, but instead his low shot is turned wide. Pfitzner is on for Boland now.
Dortmund are definitely on top at the moment, but Braunschweig are still not out of it all the while it remains 2-1. Weidenfeller is slowing it down with a free kick - Dortmund would certainly take this as a result right now.
CHANCE! Nielsen flicks a long ball into the path of Bellarabi and although he's closed down by defender and goalkeeper he really should have done better than put it wide. Change for the visitors as Grosskreutz is off for Piszczek.
Lewandowski turns in the box, before just getting it back to Mkhitaryan, but the Armenian drills his shot straight back at his teammate. Awful effort.
Still Dortmund aren't sitting comfortably and if anything the hosts have got on top in the closing stages. Lewandowski chases a hoof forward all the way but he had fouled Bicakcic going for it.
POST! Dortmund so close to wrapping this up! Mkhitaryan is through but sees his low effort bobble then go out of play off the outside of the post.
DORTMUND SUB: Late change for the visitors as Kehl comes on for Bender in a straight swap. He'll run a lot.
POST! Braunschweig so close! The ball is half cleared and comes back in, where Bicakcic stoops to direct a header off the inside of the post! Weidenfeller, who was beaten by that, gathers as it bounces to him. What a let-off! Two minutes of the three added on remain.
DORTMUND SUB: Ducksch is on for Mkhitaryan as Klopp winds down the clock.
FULL-TIME: Braunschweig 1-2 Dortmund
So Dortmund just about hang on, but they really were not good enough again. They'll take the points, of course, but Braunschweig will feel rightly hard done by. They probably deserved a point.
Thanks for joining me for this one, folks. I'll be back with lots more from Germany over the weekend, but until then it's goodbye.
Written by
Matt Domm
Matt Domm
