Post-Match Reaction: Dortmund Notch First Win of 2026

After a thrilling 3-3 draw in Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund returned home with one goal in mind; three points against Werder Bremen. Lo and behold, they did it! It was not exactly the clinical or professional display you would like to see against a struggling Werder Bremen side but it is difficult to complain over a 3-0 victory. Borussia Dortmund started on the front foot and shocked everyone when Nico Schlotterbeck headed the ball in following a corner kick in the eleventh minute. It was poor defending from Bremen, who left Dortmund’s tallest player open 3 yards out from goal, but it was a well executed corner kick for once. In fact, Dortmund looked dangerous on set-pieces throughout the game – a trend that follows the departure of the team’s set-piece during the winter break. Bremen responded with a one-on-one opportunity several minutes later but Gregor Kobel only had to make a routine save to stop Justin Njinmah’s shot. Kovac’s side failed to create any more meaningful chances despite Fabio Silva and Carney Chukwuemeka looking dangerous in build-up play.

The second-half saw a completely different display from Borussia Dortmund. Maximilian Beier and Silva linked up to create a wonderful opportunity that should’ve seen Silva score in the 55th minute but Beier chose not to square the ball. Serhou Guirassy entered the match in the 67th minute after starting on the bench but, to some surprise, he replaced Beier rather than Silva. The two strikers looked very good alongside each other with Silva dropping behind Guirassy. Marcel Sabitzer added Dortmund’s second goal from the top of the box in the 75th minute. Good pressing and a very poor giveaway saw Guirassy score his first goal of 2026, and his first goal in seven matches, to seal Dortmund’s win.

Here is the match highlights:

And here are my takeaways:

Fabio Silva and Serhou Guirassy Play Side-by-Side

Long-time Bundesliga commentator, Derek Rae, noted in the first half that Dortmund’s annual Marbella training camp saw Guirassy and Silva play alongside one-another in a closed-door friendly. For months, the question in Dortmund was if Silva would replace a misfiring Guirassy but perhaps there is a different answer- the two playing alongside one another. Niko Kovac’s Eintracht Frankfurt side found success with Sebastian Haller playing alongside Luka Jovic so why not Guirassy and Silva? The two only played alongside each other for fifteen minutes but it gave Dortmund’s attack a different look. Silva dropped back and drifted wide as Guirassy could stay forward. Both forwards pulled defenders away to give Sabitzer room to shoot for his goal and Silva’s pressing (alongside Jobe’s) helped secure Guirassy’s goal. I’m not sure the two forwards are the only solution for Dortmund but it could be one solution as Dortmund play down the stretch.

Dortmund’s Diverse Attack

Borussia Dortmund entered December with 25 points and 21 goals after 12 Bundesliga matchdays. The team had the team had the joint sixth best attack the Bundesliga. Dortmund’s last five Bundesliga matches have seen them score 11 goals and solidify themselves in second place with 36 points (RB Leipzig have two games in hand on 29 points). What’s interesting is that Dortmund’s 11 goals have come from nine different goalscorers during this spell. Peeling back the curtain more shows that Dortmund’s attack has completely diversified. Against Bremen, the team scored from a set-piece, intricate passing play, and off a turnover caused by a high press. Against Frankfurt, Dortmund scored from a fast-break, a shot from distance, and following another set-piece. Niko Kovac has quietly turned Dortmund’s attack, once highly-dependant on Serhou Guirassy, into a diverse scoring machine.

Additional Takeaways

• Nico Schlotterbeck was immense in this game and put up a 10/10 performance in my eyes. Signing him to a long-term contract should determine whether or not Sebastian Kehl has a long term future at the club.
• Dortmund have scored two set piece goals in two games since this year began. Sad pieces could be a thing of the past!
• After a good display against Frankfurt, Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha looked particularly porus in this game’s first half. Jobe Bellingham came on in the 67th minute and the three-man midfield looked much more balanced.
• With all but one game from Matchday 17 played, Dortmund are still eleven points behind Bayern Munich, who set the points record in the first half of the season, and four points ahead of RB Leipzig (who have a game in hand) and Stuttgart.

Your Thoughts

Let us know what you thought of the game below!