Borussia Dortmund made a significant comeback in the Bundesliga, handing RB Leipzig their first loss of the season with a 2:1 victory in front of 81,365 fans. Leipzig initially took the lead through Benjamin Sesko, but goals from Maximilian Beier and Serhou Guirassy reversed the outcome. Despite the defeat, Leipzig remains second in the table, trailing Bayern Munich. Dortmund, rejuvenated after struggling recently, moved up to fifth place, with coach Nuri Sahin expressing the victory’s importance for morale and standings.
Borussia Dortmund made a strong comeback in the Bundesliga, handing RB Leipzig their first defeat of the season.
In front of 81,365 spectators, Benjamin Sesko (27th minute) initially put the visitors ahead, but goals from Maximilian Beier (30th) and Serhou Guirassy (65th) turned the match in favor of BVB.
First Loss of the Season for Leipzig
This marked RB Leipzig’s first loss of the season. Coach Marco Rose’s team remains in second place on the table, trailing league leaders Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, Dortmund, under coach Nuri Sahin, climbed to fifth place with 16 points.
After the victory, relief was palpable in the Dortmund camp. ‘It was extremely important for the table, and for morale, it was crucial,’ Sahin stated in an interview. In contrast, Rose acknowledged a ‘deserved defeat’ for his team: ‘Dortmund was sharper than we were, quicker in their actions, cleaner on the ball, and made better decisions’, he concluded.
With Alexander Meyer stepping in for the injured Gregor Kobel, Dortmund put forth every effort to end their sporting crisis, having previously gone three competitive matches without a win, including a cup exit in Wolfsburg.
Intense and Competitive Match
From the outset, the match was intense, competitive, and filled with passion. Dortmund had the first significant chance just ten minutes in, but Maximilian Beier headed a cross from Jamie Gittens carelessly wide of the goal.
Shortly after, another golden opportunity arose. Gittens found himself completely unmarked in the box following a pass from Julian Brandt, but instead of controlling the ball and shooting, he opted to shoot immediately — unfortunately, his effort was too weak and went straight into the arms of Leipzig’s goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. The league’s best defense, which had only conceded three goals in the first eight matches, looked shaky.
Leipzig Scores with Their First Chance
Despite Dortmund having the chances, it was Leipzig that scored first. Following a deep pass to Lois Openda, he cheekily set up Benjamin Sesko with a backheel in the box. The Slovenian fired the ball under the crossbar from a tight angle — it was Leipzig’s first shot on target.
Dortmund responded angrily. Gittens was denied again by Gulacsi, who made an impressive save with his foot. However, Beier soon leveled the score. After a corner from Pascal Groß, the ball reached Beier via Felix Nmecha, allowing him to nudge it past a surprised Gulacsi from four meters out. The teams went into halftime tied at 1-1.
Dortmund Turns the Game Around
Dortmund maintained their tempo at the start of the second half, persistently looking for the go-ahead goal. About an hour in, they nearly scored again, but Nico Schlotterbeck whipped a corner shot from six meters straight at an outstretched Gulacsi. Moments later, Dortmund’s goalkeeper Meyer launched a long clearance towards Serhou Guirassy, who, facing two Leipzig defenders, was ultimately unable to make it count.
However, in the 65th minute, the breakthrough came. A long cross from the right by Beier found Guirassy, who headed the ball home. This lead was well-deserved, as there had been little sign of Leipzig’s attacking prowess at this point in the match.
Dortmund Fails to Seal the Victory
The match intensified. Leipzig began to apply pressure. Following a brilliant buildup involving Kevin Kampl, the ball reached Eljif Elmas, but Ramy Bensebaini managed to clear the ball off the line.
Dortmund then missed opportunities to extend their lead, squandering two clear chances. First, Brandt converted a Gittens cross but was thwarted by Gulacsi. Next, Beier rushed his finish after receiving a beautiful pass from Nmecha. Despite Leipzig struggling to create goal-scoring chances, the black and yellows defended passionately until the final whistle, securing a well-deserved victory.
Upcoming Matches: Dortmund in Mainz, Leipzig vs. Gladbach
Dortmund will travel to Mainz next Saturday (November 9, 2024, at 3:30 PM). Leipzig will host Borussia Mönchenglad