Two second‑half goals from Felix Nmecha handed Dortmund a 2-1 win over Elversberg, stretching their unbeaten Bundesliga run to nine matches.
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Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Elversberg
Goals: 1-0 Nmecha 55′ (assist: Silva), 2-0 Nmecha 71′, 2-1 Futkeu 81′ (assist: Le Joncour)
Niko Kovač made three changes to the Dortmund side that beat Real Betis 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League, bringing in Joane Gadou, Carney Chukwuemeka and Konstantinos Karetsas for Ramy Bensebaini, Julian Ryerson and the injured Serhou Guirassy.
Elversberg head coach Vincent Wagner named the same team that beat Mainz 4-1 at home on Matchday 8, with Maurice Krattenmacher, Francis Onyeka and Lukas Petkov supporting David Mokwa in attack.
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Borussia Dortmund’s Fabio Silva almost scored one of the goals of the season. – IMAGO/Fabian Kleer –>
First half ended goalless but evenly balanced.
Elversberg refused to cede ground, matching Dortmund for stretches. Fabio Silva curled a long‑range strike into the far side after a swift break, while Nmecha forced Nicolas Kristof into a save before Silva missed the rebound.
Petkov tested goalkeeper Gregor Kobel twice, first from distance and later with a low drive in first‑half stoppage time.
Carney Chukwuemeka limped off after 34 minutes, replaced by Maximilian Beier; Elversberg captain Lukas Pinckert also left hurt, making way for Florian Le Joncour as the teams headed into a level halftime.
Following Serhou Guirassy’s midweek injury, Chukwuemeka became the latest Dortmund casualty. – Lars Baron
Nmecha breaks the deadlock.
After the break Dortmund pressed on, but Kristof denied both Jobe Bellingham and Karetsas. The breakthrough arrived in the 55th minute when Silva collected a diagonal pass, held it up and slipped it to Nmecha, who tapped a low effort into the bottom corner.
Sixteen minutes later Nmecha unleashed a sumptuous curling strike from outside the box, doubling the lead.
Dortmund sit level with champions Bayern Munich after nine games. – IMAGO/Bahho Kara
Can Dortmund maintain this momentum and challenge Bayern for the title?
Nmecha logged five shots – the most on the pitch – and netted both goals, the second clocked at 124.22 km/h, the season’s second‑hardest strike.
He earned Man of the Match with 78 percent of the vote.
For my money, Nmecha’s emergence marks the sharpest rise in Kovač’s Dortmund side this campaign. – INA FASSBENDER