Reus perfection seals Dortmund UCL group-stage place in thriller vs Bremen
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DORTMUND, Germany -- Borussia Dortmund secured direct Champions League qualification for next season, finishing third in the final Bundesliga standings with a dramatic 4-3 win over Werder Bremen at the Westfalenstadion on the final matchday on Saturday.
It was the guests who took the lead after seven minutes as Zlatko Junuzovic pounced on a loose ball in the box. Roman Burki made the save, but goal-line technology showed that the ball had crossed the line.
The hosts, however, battled back and turned the game around by half-time with goals from Marco Reus in the 32nd minute and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 42nd. Dortmund's lead lasted just 43 seconds into the second half, when Fin Bartels finished off a Bremen counter-attack and things got worse for the hosts as Werder scored a go-ahead goal via Max Kruse in the 68th minute.
But Dortmund fought back for a second time and won two penalties in the 75th and 89th minutes, scored by Reus and Aubameyang, with the latter wrapping up the Bundesliga's top scorer trophy.
Positives
The fans inside the Westfalenstadion were in for a real treat, as they saw the absolute best and the absolute worst of Borussia Dortmund. Their resolve deserves some praise. The win made an emotional moment in front of the Yellow Wall all the sweeter when Marc Bartra was singled out to receive some extra chants by the fans after playing his first match since sustaining an injury during the attack on BVB's team bus on April 11.
Wrapping up third place was a crucial achievement for the Black and Yellows, who can go about their summer transfer business without the uncertainty of a looming Champions League playoff. Sokratis Papastathopoulos told ESPN FC after the match that the win will give the team a confidence boost ahead of the German Cup final.
Negatives
The Ruhr side could not shake their susceptibility to counter-attacks throughout the entire year. Werder Bremen pounced on the deficit with efficiency, making the match much harder than the hosts had imagined. Left-back Marcel Schmelzer picking up an injury in the warm-up did not help Dortmund's cause.
Manager rating out of 10
7 -- Thomas Tuchel is on target of achieving all the targets the club proclaimed ahead of the season, but amid questions surrounding his future, it was notable that there weren't any banners shown among fans voicing their support for the 43-year-old coach.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Roman Burki, 7 -- Was unlucky to make a spectacular save behind the goal line after seven minutes, as Bremen took the lead, but followed up with another crucial stop right after Dortmund took the lead in the first half.
DF Matthias Ginter, 6 -- Like in Augsburg, Ginter was caught out several times as he was opting to leave his line for an interception but once he arrived at the designated spot, the ball hard already passed him.
DF Sokratis Papastathopoulos, 8 -- Once again an absolute rock in defence, but had to be bailed out once by Bartra after the Greek was put on his backside by a Bremen attacker.
DF Marc Bartra, 8 -- Was kissed by his coach after the match for what had been an impressive performance. His return to the team was vital.
MF Erik Durm, 7 -- Was subbed off at half-time although he was playing a good match.
MF Nuri Sahin, 6 -- The 28-year-old initiated Dortmund's first goal with a world-class vertical pass. However, that didn't make up for his lackadaisical defending. He was outpaced time and time again.
MF Raphael Guerreiro, 7 -- Like Sahin, Guerreiro wasn't defensively sound on his left side but excelled offensively in Dortmund's combination play with nifty short passes out of tight spots.
MF Shinji Kagawa, 9 -- Another sublime performance by the Japan international, who grabbed a marvelous assist for Reus' first goal and also played the pass that led to the hosts winning their first penalty.
MF Ousmane Dembele, 8 -- His lobbed assist for Aubameyang was simply perfect.
MF Marco Reus, 10 -- Marco Reus was the match winner for Dortmund, not only scoring two goals but also showing the right body language throughout the game. He slid into the post at full speed in the second half, but kept on playing.
FW Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 9 -- In the 42nd minute, Dembele's lob was dropping into Aubameyang's path. The striker waited for the ball to fly over his shoulder and belted it home with a side volley. He had missed four out of five penalties, but stepped up in the 89th minute with nothing less but direct Champions League qualification for the club on the line. This time, the Gabonese did not crack under pressure and fired home to lift the Torjagerkanone as the Bundesliga's top scorer. He finished his league campaign with 31 goals, pipping Robert Lewandowski's 30.
Substitutes
MF Christian Pulisic, 7 -- Was brought on at half-time for Durm. Dortmund suffered at the beginning as Pulisic was not as present in defence as Durm, but as the game passed, Pulisic grew stronger and won the game-winning penalty in the end.
MF Gonzalo Castro, NR -- Replaced a tired Sahin in the 72nd minute.
DF Sven Bender, NR -- Got the obligatory time-wasting substitution in the 93rd minute.
Stefan Buczko covers Borussia Dortmund for ESPN FC. Twitter: @StefanBuczko.
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