· 2 min readIn this Bayern vs Dortmund match, I analyse the key tactical moments, individual performances and turning points of the game.
Bayern and Dortmund came into matchday eight of the Bundesliga unbeaten, both having won five and drawn three. It was the biggest fixture in German football, with Bayern the favourites after beating Freiburg away and seeing Olise return to top form in the cup.
On the other side, Dortmund were coming off a win against Werder Bremen, decided by a Sabitzer free-kick with the last kick of the game. The spotlight was also on Harry Kane, who was playing his first match since receiving the Ballon d’Or.
Bayern started to see more of the ball, but Dortmund hadn’t come just to watch. In the 14th minute, they put together a good move, with two consecutive shots blocked. Later on, Jobe Bellingham received the ball from Beier on the edge of the box and forced a superb save from Urbig.
It was an evenly balanced game. Dortmund were managing to create danger, while Bayern were mainly looking to exploit Olise’s individual quality and Davies’ forward runs.
In the 24th minute, Kimmich found Saibari through on goal, but the midfielder took too long to make a decision and ended up shooting straight at Kobel. To make matters worse, he injured his ankle and had to come off. Gnabry also picked up an injury shortly afterwards, forcing Bayern into two substitutions before the half-hour mark. Two forced changes that disrupted the team’s plans.
Dortmund actually found the net in the 34th minute, following an unbelievable mistake in Bayern’s build-up. Kim Min-Jae played the ball to Upamecano, who failed to recognise the danger and tried to pass it back to Urbig. Chukwuemeka intercepted and the ball fell to Jobe Bellingham, who finished. However, the goal was ruled out after VAR identified a foul on the goalkeeper. The defensive mistake was still a serious one, regardless of the decision.
Bayern’s response was immediate. In the 38th minute, Daniel Svensson slipped, Laimer won the ball and Olise immediately sent him through. The Austrian drove forward and shot. After Kobel’s save, he followed up on the rebound to make it 1-0. Dortmund threatened again before half-time, but Stanišić was in the right place to block Beier’s shot.
The first half ended with possession evenly split at 50% each. Bayern had created more clear-cut chances, but Dortmund had shown they hadn’t come to Munich just to sit back and defend.
Bayern were clearly the better side after the break. In the 55th minute, Kane won a penalty for a Nmecha handball, but smashed his effort against the crossbar. The new Ballon d’Or winner would have to wait for his first goal. And Dortmund took advantage. In the 60th minute, Chukwuemeka drove towards the box and played the ball to Guirassy, who controlled it and shot into the corner. A good team move and a deserved equaliser.
The scores didn’t stay level for long. In the 66th minute, Kimmich crossed from the left, Kane arrived completely unmarked and headed the ball into the six-yard box, where Upamecano only had to tap it in. Bayern were back in front and continued to threaten. Kane hit the post in the 75th minute and came close to scoring again three minutes later.
But Dortmund held on and, in the 89th minute, Fábio Silva stepped up to rescue them. After failing to reach a cross, he recovered the ball, turned and fired a low shot into the far corner. An excellent goal to make it 2-2.
There was still time for Karl to hit the crossbar in the 90+4th minute. Bayern came close to winning it, but had to settle for a draw.
Post-match
It was a Klassiker that lived up to expectations, with two teams who wanted to play and a Dortmund side that never stopped believing. Bayern were better in the second half, but couldn’t turn their dominance into a win.
