Borussia Dortmund creeps into the winter break
During the winter break, Borussia Dortmund will have to come to terms with its poor first half of the season. That seems increasingly necessary. The end of the year begins spectacularly, even in the stands, but then turns into another frustrating event against Mainz. The big question: What will become of coach Edin Terzic?
Another league slip-up against FSV Mainz 05 ruined Borussia Dortmund's Christmas and raised burning questions about the future of coach Edin Terzic. BVB, who were completely uncreative and played horribly in the second half, could not get past 1:1 (1:1) against the relegation candidates at the end of the year and are at least twelve points off the top of the table after six games in a row without a win. Over the next few days, the club's management will be carrying out an intensive analysis of the situation.
206 days after the "championship trauma" against Mainz at the same venue, Julian Brandt (29) gave the superior BVB the lead with a dream free-kick. The visitors did not give up, however, and Sepp van den Berg (43) headed home Mainz's first goal in 363 minutes. The bonus point in front of 80,350 spectators helped to give them courage for the second part of the season.
Terzic, on the other hand, is facing troubled days ahead, as the group win in the Champions League is overshadowed by consistently poor performances in the Bundesliga. Qualification for the top flight once again is increasingly in jeopardy. Terzic had claimed in advance that the traumatic minutes of May 27 should "no longer play a role". But would it be that easy? The day BVB threw the cup into Bayern's lap was the "most terrible" of his life, said managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke.
BVB set off like a fire department
This time, however, it was not emotions but cool-headed decisions that were at the forefront. Mats Hummels returned to central defense after his red card suspension, Niklas Süle had to make way, as did Marco Reus, who was replaced by Marcel Sabitzer. Dortmund only knew one direction in the foul Westphalian weather: forward. It developed into a one-goal game, with Jamie Bynoe-Gittens smashing a shot from 16 meters against the crossbar (8'). Donyell Malen's dangerous shot was cleared by Mainz goalkeeper Daniel Batz with his foot (11). The visitors looked anxious, captain Silvan Widmer gesticulating desperately for his teammates to attack BVB earlier.
Mainz did indeed manage a little better for a quarter of an hour after that, which was also due to the fact that the still superior BVB built up much more sedately than in the stormy opening phase. But then Brandt curled his free-kick wonderfully into the corner and shortly afterwards Sabitzer hit the crossbar again (31'). Only then did Mainz also have their first decent opportunity through Marco Richter (42'), the subsequent corner leading to the surprising equalizer: van den Berg's header was saved by Gregor Kobel just behind the goal line.
BVB should have dominated the game from then on, but there was no jolt through the team, the team was unsettled - Mainz even had the game well under control at times. Terzic replaced the ineffective Niclas Füllkrug with Sebastien Haller, while newcomer Samuel Bamba came on for Bynoe-Gittens. What was still missing was pressure, passion and inspiration: far too often the build-up consisted of a long shot from Kobel. Mainz wasted a huge chance to counter-attack (88'), and a Dortmund goal from Gio Reyna was disallowed shortly afterwards for offside (90.+1). There was a mighty roar of whistles at the end.
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Despite the group win in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund's poor performances in the Bundesliga continue to be a concern for coach Edin Terzic. Terzic's future with the club is unclear, as they struggle to maintain their position in the soccer league. Despite Niclas Füllkrug's ineffectiveness, Terzic substituted him with Sebastien Haller during the match against 1.FSV Mainz 05.
Source: www.ntv.de
