Borussia Dortmund scored 4 goals in the second half and overturned a 2-0 deficit to win the game away from home in a dramatic thriller, retaining their place on top of the table. What a game, that was! After going down by two goals in the first half, Borussia Dortmund seemed destined to give away the three points against a defensively sturdy opposition. However, some excellent changes in the tactics and brilliant individual performances gave Dortmund the crucial win against a top-4 competitor. With that said, here are some takeaways from the thrilling game.<doc-sep>Wow what an incredible game. Dortmund beat Leverkusen 4-2 to go top of the Bundesliga table! After being down 2-0 at the end of the first half Dortmund turned it on in the second. Our goal scorers were Marco Reus, Jacob Brunn Larsen, and Paco Alcacer! The first half went poorly for Dortmund. We let Bayer run rampant on us getting chance after chance. Their first goal was a wide shot that Burki couldn’t get to. The second goal came from an unguarded set piece that Jonathan Tah was able to easily slip by Hakimi and Burki. Our back line was shambolic in the first half. Hakimi couldn’t lock down his man and whenever he got the ball he would dribble it into opposition and lose it. Diallo and Akanji both didn’t look themselves and Zagadou had some bloopers. As for the rest of the team, a early yellow kept Delaney out of the half and Phillip,Reus and Pulisic were invisible. The second half is where things got fun. Leverkusen in all of their infinite wisdom decided not to try to sit back at all in the half and played just as open as they did in the first half. Their plan backfired as Dortmund took the most chances in the first 15 mins of the second, then after 60 took total control. Phillip being subbed for Paco Alcacer is what made a huge difference this match. Paco immediately became a threat that Bayer couldn't control. Our first goal came from a nice Hakimi cross to Reus who volleyed it right in front of goal for JBL to easily slot. Even if JBL didn’t hit it Paco was right there to net it as well. After the goal BVB looked extremely confident. The tying goal came from a wonderful Sancho pass to Reus who took a rocket of a strike to the back net. Clearly on the back foot Leverkusen made an attacking sub and tried to play an even more open style of play. This played right into BVB’s hands as Paco was able to make a easy run through the middle of the final third and put Dortmund up. Our last goal came from a counter on a Bayer set piece where even Bayer’s goalkeeper wasn’t in net. Paco was able to shoot it in easily for a brace and secure the 3 points. Overall a good game from BVB. While they looked clueless in the first half, they managed to put everything together and edge out a good team win. Sancho, Reus and Paco were probably the best players on the pitch, but Burki and Witsel deserve lots of credit for keeping us in it in the first half. What did you think of the match?<doc-sep>Borussia Dortmund pulled off a remarkable comeback to beat Bayer Leverkusen 4-2, despite being two goals down at half time. Three days after their 7-0 win over Nuremberg, Borussia Dortmund were in serious danger of losing their unbeaten record under Lucien Favre after Bayer Leverkusen took a two goal lead in the first half. But goals from Jacob Bruun Larsen, Marco Reus and Paco Alcacer (x2) helped Borussia Dortmund turn the game around and seal a 4-2 win. The win takes them to the top of the Bundesliga standings, one point ahead of second placed Bayern Munich. Here are the Borussia Dortmund player ratings from the game. Roman Burki (7/10) Burki stood no chance for either of Leverkusen’s goals but made some stunning saves to keep Borussia Dortmund in the game before his teammates turned it around. Another impressive performance by the Dortmund number one. Achraf Hakimi (6/10) If he hadn’t slipped, he probably would have been able to prevent Leverkusen from scoring the opener. He struggled at times defensively but was a constant threat going forward, especially in the second half. Hakimi was not afraid of taking on defenders and more often than not, he ran rings around them. And his cross for Alcacer’s first goal was a thing of beauty. Manuel Akanji (6/10) Akanji was solid once again, although he should have done better for Leverkusen’s opener as he left too big a gap in the box. But he got better as the game went on and made a game high seven clearances for his side. His impressive passing range was also on display, especially in the first half when Dortmund were trying to build from the back. Dan Axel Zagadou (7/10) There were moments where Zagadou showed his great potential, and then there were other moments where he showed his inexperience. He was comfortable on the ball and made some impressive challenges to prevent Leverkusen from breaking through. But he was also at fault for Leverkusen’s second as he failed to clear the ball quickly enough and Leverkusen took advantage to double their lead in the first half. Otherwise, he had an impressive game and showed that he is ready to start games for Dortmund. Abdou Diallo (6/10) Had to move over to left back following Lukasz Piszczek’s injury and did an okay job in his make-shift role. He did not make as many forward runs as he Schmelzer would have, probably wary of Leverkusen’s pace on the counter attack. The Frenchman also should have done better to clear the ball away before Leverkusen scored their second goal from a corner. Became more comfortable in the second half as Dortmund started to dominate. Axel Witsel (7/10) Axel Witsel continued his strong start to the season with another impressive performance. Even when Borussia Dortmund were struggling, the Belgian was always composed on the ball and his presence made sure that Leverkusen did not run over his side. And he played a vital role in Dortmund’s second half comeback with his impressive distribution (evident by his 99% pass success rate) and ability to make forward passes. Thomas Delaney (4/10) Delaney received a yellow card in the sixth minute which restricted him from playing his natural game. Leverkusen closed down on him very quickly and did not give him any space to move the ball forward, like he was able to against Nuremberg. As a result, Delaney looked very predictable and had to go sideways or backwards. Was taken off at half time.<doc-sep>DORTMUND, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 26: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been digitally enhanced.) Marco Reus of Dortmund celebrates a goal with his team mates Axel Witsel, Achraf Hakimi Mouhand Maximilian Philipp during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Nuernberg at Signal Iduna Park on September 26, 2018 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann/Bundesliga/DFL via Getty Images) Borussia Dortmund visit Bayer Leverkusen this weekend, knowing that a victory will see them go top of the Bundesliga standings. Borussia Dortmund face a very difficult away game this weekend when they travel to the BayArena to take on an in-form Bayer Leverkusen side. Following Bayern’s slip up on Friday, Lucien Favre’s men will be aiming to take advantage by getting the three points, and maintaining their unbeaten start to the season. Recent Form Bayer Leverkusen LLWWW Leverkusen made a disastrous start to their season, losing their first three games. But they have recovered well and have won their last three matches in all competitions. Heiko Herrlich’s men lie 11th in the league table with six points from five games. They have scored five goals and conceded nine so far this season. Borussia Dortmund DWWDW On the other hand, Borussia Dortmund currently occupy third place in the league table, having accumulated 11 points thanks to their three wins and two draws in the Bundesliga. The Black and Yellow have scored 15 goals and just conceded three and have the joint best defense in the league at the moment, along with Mainz. The problem with Dortmund so far this season has been reflected in their away games. Lucien Favre’s men have drawn both their away games in the Bundesliga so far. But after a 7-0 win over Nuremberg on Wednesday, confidence is sky high and the Black and Yellows will be confident of getting a possible result on Saturday. Last Match: Borussia Dortmund 4 Bayer Leverkusen 0 The last time the two sides met, Borussia Dortmund produced the best performance of their season to thrash Leverkusen 4-0 at the Signal Iduna Park. Jadon Sancho scored his first goal in a Borussia Dortmund shirt, before providing two assists for Maximilian Philipp and Marco Reus as the Black and Yellows cruised to a comfortable victory. What can we expect for this match? We could be in for an entertaining game between two very talented teams on Saturday. Both teams have match winners and difference makers in their squad and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. Borussia Dortmund ran riot against Nuremberg on Wednesday, but we could be in for a much tighter affair at the BayArena. Leverkusen have done well to recover from their poor start to the season and they can cause Dortmund plenty of problems. The midweek game showed the potential of the Black and Yellows and if they can find the right balance between a solid defense and an efficient attack, Borussia Dortmund should have no problems dispatching Leverkusen. It will be interesting to see what approach Lucien Favre takes for the game. Dortmund have been far too cautious in all their away matches so far and they must be more proactive against Leverkusen. Possible Lineups Borussia Dortmund: Burki, Piszczek, Akanji, Diallo, Hakimi, Delaney, Witsel, Dahoud, Pulisic, Reus, Philipp Leverkusen: Hradecky – Jedvaj, Tah, S. Bender, Wendell – Kohr, L. Bender – Bailey, Havertz, Brandt – Volland Final prediction – Borussia Dortmund 2 Bayer Leverkusen 1<doc-sep>
Borussia Dortmund against Leverkusen on Matchday 6 was a tale of two halves. Lucien Favre’s men turned a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 win, scoring all 4 goals in the second half. The first half although consisting of two Leverkusen goals was very uneventful. Borussia Dortmund went down 1-0 when not one but two defenders, Akanji and Hakimi stumbled and fell over on a Leverkusen counter-attack. Mitchell Weiser made the most of a wasted cross by smashing home a volley from outside the 18 yard box. Leverkusen’s second goal was all down to Dortmund’s inability to clear the ball. Abdou Diallo and Dan-Axel Zagadou both had chances to clear the ball before it ultimately fell to Jonathan Tah all alone at the 6 yard box. Dortmund really struggled to create anything in the final third going forward. The second half seemed to be a brand new game, entirely open with lots of chances at both ends. Mo Dahoud was brought on at half time to help transition the ball quicker up the field as Dortmund was playing catch up. Chance after chance both teams took their turns counter-attacking as Dortmund desperately tried to get back into the game, with Leverkusen trying to seal the 3 points. Lucas Alario had Leverkusen’s best chance of the second half as he hit the post on an exceptional left footed shot. Had that gone in, Dortmund likely wouldn’t have been able to turn the game around. Borussia Dortmund got their first breath of life when Jacob Brunn Larsen tapped in a loose ball to claw one back. Once that first Dortmund goal went in, you knew there was going to be more to come as both teams alternated chances. Jadon “Supersub” Sancho came on in the 68th minute and as he always does, had an immediate impact. He found Marco Reus open in the 18 yard box to fire home within a minute of being subbed on. Seriously, the kid is so good. Every time he is subbed on he seems to be making the difference for Dortmund. In the final ten minutes Paco Alcacer scored scored the winner and then sealed the game with a his second. His first goal was a thing of beauty. There must have been at least 8-10 one touch passes made around Leverkusen’s 18 yard box before Alcacer swung the ball out wide and charged the net. Achraf Hakimi sent in a delightful cross to find Alcacer’s run for him to tap it home. Jadon Sancho would earn another assist as he sent Alcacer in alone to seal the game in the 93rd minute. After a very frustrating first half Borussia Dortmund turned the game around with their impressive attacking play to slide into first place on matchday 6. Today’s game once again showed how important Paco Alcacer will be for Borussia Dortmund this year. While Jadon Sancho continues to absolutely dazzle as the supersub. He is top of the league for assists (5), without starting a single Bundesliga game. Top of the table! HEJA BVB