0: 2 at VfL: Dortmund frustration in Wolfsburg – concern for Reus

Mith the final whistle, Jude Bellingham fell to the ground. He put his hands in front of his face. The exceptional player in the Borussia Dortmund team was certainly a little exhausted, but above all very disappointed. After a series of good performances, Bellingham and his teammates lost 2-0 at the strong VfL Wolfsburg. The visitors had been chasing after the early deficit caused by a headed goal by Micky van de Ven, which Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck involuntarily favored after six minutes. On this 14th match day of the Bundesliga, Dortmund showed better football for a long time. But the victory went to the strong-willed VfL Wolfsburg, for whom Lukas Nmecha scored the 2-0 in added time.

The game in Wolfsburg served as a final show with a view to the World Cup in Qatar. When national coach Hansi Flick announces his World Cup squad this Thursday, players like Wolfsburg’s Maximilian Arnold, Ridle Baku and Lukas Nmecha are hoping for a place in the national team. VfL captain Arnold in particular has suffered for years from not being the first choice in the DFB team.

The need to show a good side in the duel with Dortmund and their potential World Cup participants was correspondingly great. That was also possible in the first half. Because Wolfsburg set the tone for a long time and had a large number of goal chances. It was only after around 30 minutes that the favored Dortmunders got going and accepted the challenge with verve.

BVB rather forward than back

The showdown between VfL Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund was great fun, above all because the game strategies of the two teams are very different. Under the guidance of head coach Niko Kovac, a lot of ball possession, a controlled build-up of play and courageous duels are preferred in Wolfsburg. After a slightly lethargic start, Dortmund countered this approach with their usual lively approach and combination.

Better to go forward than back: What BVB, who fell behind early on, showed was nice to see. The only thing missing was the necessary consistency and concrete goal danger. “We actually played a good game. But it was down to evaluating the chances,” said Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. One thing in particular had failed before him. Setting the scene for a lurking centre-forward like Youssoufa Moukoko is not that easy. The 17-year-old professional, for whom national coach Flick is interested, does not always take an active part in the game. In Wolfsburg, Moukoko waited a lot, acted little, still got shots on goal and didn’t get a crowning finish.

If the national coach had time to take a close look at the duel between green and yellow in front of 28,675 spectators: a Dortmund player managed to put himself in the limelight in a special way. Niklas Süle is actually predestined for the job of central defender with his overview and physical strength. But at the request of BVB coach Edin Terzic, Süle can sometimes prove himself as a right-back. He plays that part really well. With a view to higher tasks, for example in the national team, it remains to be seen whether Süle will have enough speed for a brisk run over the wing. The stormy defender managed to hit the post shortly before half-time. That was also one of the many moments in which Dortmund could not convert their dominance into something countable.

The Dortmund attack in the final stages, in which Moukoko was assisted in attack by substitute Anthony Modeste, lacked a compelling moment in the end. There was a lot of trying and tricking. The ingenious passer was missing. And that didn’t just have to do with the fact that Marco Reus, who had an ankle injury, didn’t even travel to Wolfsburg after his comeback last weekend. Borussia lacked a chief who could set the tone and say the last word in front of the opposing goal.

BVB coach Terzic said before the game that he “of course” had the feeling that Reus really wanted to go to the World Cup in Qatar. “We see how hard he works, how he worked hard and toiled for his comeback. Unfortunately, he was thrown back again and again and the pain kept getting worse.”

Whatever the Dortmund team did, something got in their way in the last few meters. VfL Wolfsburg made it through with will and passion and a bit of wasting time on the part of the strong goalkeeper Koen Casteels. The Wolfsburg have not lost eight competitive games in a row. In the end, they were rewarded for not just shutting themselves in, but repeatedly pushing forward in a targeted manner. The goal in added time, which Nmecha scored to make it 2-0, was the deserved reward for a brave performance.