Another week, another action-packed 90 minutes of drama for Borussia Dortmund and their fans. It again ended in joy, but the victory was once again hard-earned for a side that likes to make it hard for themselves.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Gora
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Everything about Borussia Dortmund victories at the moment is dramatic. Dortmund, who have scored a league high seven goals in the 90th minute or later this season, secured yet another league victory thanks to late heroics in the capital. In one of the most action-packed games of the season, there was perhaps no surprise that it was Marco Reus scoring a late winner from a Jadon Sancho cross. The victory though, comes with a warning for Dortmund.
There are two sides to Borussia Dortmund. The first was on show in the first half in Berlin. The team were slow, sloppy and reactive. The more of this Borussia Dortmund that appears in their final eight league games, the less likely they will be to win the title.
The side that came out in the second half though, they stand a chance of winning the title. That Dortmund team were fast, furious and dictating the tempo. This was the side that burst into a lead earlier in the season, the one that continued to defy its inexperience. There's no denying, especially after a battling victory against Stuttgart last time out, that this team has the mental strength to overcome adversity. Thomas Delaney said after the win in the capital that his legs were empty, his voice gone. This is a team capable of hauling themselves through the ugly phases of a game and coming out the other side as winners.
Marco Reus is the heartbeat of this side, and once again proved whyImage: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
Beyond all of that brilliance though, lies a truth that Dortmund have done well to hide. Both the win against Stuttgart last time out and the one this weekend against Hertha were so full of drama and effort that they felt more like epic cup games. They were uncomfortable battles, perhaps because Dortmund allowed them to be. Errors have crept in, allowing opponents the chance to score. Roman Bürki made one against Hertha Berlin, and Julian Weigl was perhaps a little unfortunate in his handball but it was a penalty nonetheless. Nerves have followed. Christian Pulisic snatched at chances all game against Berlin, guilty of missing two that he normally finishes without thought.
Comfort is what Dortmund are missing. The comfort that prepares you for a fight against mid-table sides like Hertha, or relegation-strugglers Stuttgart. The comfort that reminds you that your quality is enough.
Without it, Dortmund are set for a rollercoaster finish to this season. The warning from the drama and joy of the last few weeks is that it cannot always end in joy. Perhaps that's just the way this side is destined to play it out in this dramatic Bundesliga title race. Perhaps it's the unbelievable ride that gives them an edge, but they look a side that could benefit from making their lives a little easier in the weeks ahead.
Bundesliga Matchday 26 roundup
Werder Bremen pulled within three points of a Europa League spot, Frankfurt within one of a Champions League spot. Wout Weghorst's hat-trick carried Wolfsburg to a big victory, and Marco Reus was the hero in Berlin.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Kusch
Bayern Munich 6-0 Mainz
James Rodriguez scored a stunning hat trick as Bayern Munich delivered their second straight 6-0 victory in the Bundesliga. The Colombian stole the show with a marvelous spread of goals, with the second the pick of the bunch. Also in the act were Robert Lewandowski, Leon Goretzka and Alphonso Davies - who scored his first ever for the club. The win puts Bayern seven goals ahead of Dortmund.
Image: Reuters/M. Dalder
Frankfurt 1-0 Nuremberg
For the first time this season, Frankfurt won a game by a single goal. Usually deadly in front of goal, the home side found themselves wanting. A superb pass from Luka Jovic and then a cross from Filip Kostic was turned home by Martin Hinteregger, but 18 attempts later and Frankfurt were still only one goal ahead. Hanno Behrens nearly stole a point late, but Kevin Trapp made a huge save.
Image: Imago/Nordphoto
Leverkusen 1-3 Bremen
Max Kruse scored two and assisted another in a match-winning performance for Werder Bremen. Maxi Eggestein set up Kruse beautifully for the opener, and then Kruse turned provider as Milot Rashica tucked away a second. Leverkusen improved in the second half, and Leon Bailey hit a wicked free kick to make for a frantic finale. Leverkusen couldn't convert though, and Kruse added a superb third.
Image: imago/DeFodi
Schalke 0-1 RB Leipzig
A change of coach offered Schalke no relief as they slipped to a sixth consecutive defeat that leaves them in real relegation danger. Timo Werner (right) did the damage in the first half, slamming home a loose ball in the 14th minute to register his first goal of 2019. The Royal Blues have now drawn a blank in 10 of their 26 Bundesliga games.
Image: Reuters/L. Kuegeler
Wolfsburg 5-2 Fortuna Düsseldorf
A hat-trick from Wout Weghorst (right) helped Wolfsburg bounce back strongly from their hammering by Bayern Munich last week. The Wolves fell behind early to Kaan Ayhan’s free kick before Admir Mehmedi lifted an equalizer over Michael Rensing. Weghorst's treble came in 34 second-half minutes while Robin Knoche also got on the scoresheet. Benito Raman's 65th minute stike was only a consolation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Steffen
Augsburg 3-1 Hannover
Substitute Sergio Cordova (pictured) sparked an Augsburg comeback that takes them another step closer to safety. Hendrik Weydandt headed struggling Hannover in to an early lead but Cordova's 65th minute strike leveled things up. Jonathan Schmid put the home side in the lead 14 minutes later before Andre Hahn wrapped it up late on. Hannover have won just once since mid November.
Image: imago/kolbert-press
Stuttgart 1-1 Hoffenheim
Andrej Kramaric's seventh goal in nine games wasn't enough for Hoffenheim to take all three points as on-loan Steven Zuber equalized against his parent club. Kramaric's strike did make him the joint-highest scorer in Hoffenheim's Bundesliga history (46 goals) but this was Hoffenheim's 11th draw of the season, a statistic that looks as if it may cost them a European place.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Grimm
Hertha Berlin 2-3 Borussia Dortmund
It didn't start very well for BVB after trailing twice through a Salomon Kalou brace, but Lucien Favre's players have managed to scrape an important win. Marco Reus scored the winner three minutes into stoppage time, with Jadon Sancho providing two assists in the Berlin rain. The title race is still on.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/M. Rose
Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-1 Freiburg
Vincenzo Grifo (left) chose not to celebrate when he scored against his former team on Friday. The Freiburg winger had put the visitors in front by firing in a cross from Pascal Stenzel. Alassane Plea leveled the score shortly thereafter, tapping in a pass from Thorgan Hazard. Gladbach are now winless in their last four league games at home and are slowly losing their grip on their top-four spot.
