2013-2014 Bundesliga Match Day 7 Borussia Dortmund versus SC Freiburg Saturday, September 28, 2013, Westfalenstadion, Dortmund – Kickoff: 3:30 PM CET Both clubs notched their tickets to the German Cup Round of 16 during the week. Borussia Dortmund did it with a hard-fought 2-0 victory in extra time at 2nd Bundesliga club TSV 1860 München on Tuesday evening. SC Freiburg (SCF) notched their ticket with a 2-1 home victory over fellow 1st Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart. In the Bundesliga, the two clubs could not be on different courses. Borussia Dortmund is tied on points at the top of league with FC Bayern. Borussia Dortmund sits in first place by virtue of better goal difference. Borussia Dortmund has won five of its six Bundesliga matches so far this season, only dropping points this past weekend with a 1-1 draw at 1. FC Nürnberg. On the other hand, 17th place SCF has not tasted victory in the Bundesliga this season. SCF has lost three matches and drawn three matches. However, one of those draws must have tasted like a huge victory as SCF is the only club to take points from FC Bayern this season. SCF secured a 1-1 draw with Bayern at Freiburg on August 27th. SCF’s other two draws came at Hoffenheim (3-3 on August 24th) and against Hertha BSC Berlin at Freiburg this past Sunday (1-1). SCF’s three defeats have come at Leverkusen (3-1), at home to Mainz (2-1) and at Augsburg (2-1). Of the last ten Bundesliga meetings between the two clubs, Borussia Dortmund has won eight. SCF’s last victory over BVB was a 3-1 decision on May 8, 2010 at Freiburg. Since that defeat at Freiburg, BVB has won the last six meetings between the two clubs by a combined score of 20-3. SCF has not won a Bundesliga match at Dortmund since October 21, 2001. The following information is from the BVB website. The data is NOT OFFICIAL….. Projected Borussia Dortmund Starting Lineup: Weidenfeller - Grosskreutz, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer (Durm) - Bender, Sahin - Blaszczykowski (Reus), Mkhitaryan, Aubameyang – Lewandowski Projected Borussia Dortmund Substitutes Bench: Langerak - Kirch, Günter, Durm, Sokratis, Reus, Hofmann, Ducksch, Schieber Questionable For Borussia Dortmund: Schmelzer (thigh muscle issues) Out For Borussia Dortmund: Kehl (torn ankle ligaments), Gündogan (back issues), Piszczek (recovering from hip and groin surgery) Projected SC Freiburg Starting Lineup: Baumann - Sorg, Diagne, Ginter, Günter - Fernandes, Schuster - Schmid, Kerk - Freis, Hanke Projected SC Freiburg Substitutes Bench: Batz - Coquelin, Guedé, Höfler, Höhn, Jullien, Klaus, Krmas, Mehmedi, Zuck Questionable For SC Freiburg: Unknown Out For SC Freiburg: Mujdza (knee issues), Darida (??), Hedenstad & Pilar (fitness training) Referee – Markus Schmidt Saturday’s match will be the seventh time referee Markus Schmidt will supervise a Bundesliga match involving Borussia Dortmund. Ironically, the first time Schmidt supervised a Bundesliga match involving BVB, it was against SCF. April 30, 2005 at Freiburg. The clubs played to a 2-2 draw. BVB’s record in the six matches under Schmidt’s supervision is very positive with four victories, one defeat and the aforementioned 2005 draw at Freiburg. Sideline Assistants: Wolfgang Walz and Kai Voss – Fourth Official: Günter Perl Projected Spectator Situation: Westfalenstadion should be sold out at 80,000. There will be some guest block tickets on sale on match day. Ticket booths will open at 11AM. Thanks to something going on with block 60, capacity will be 80,000 on Saturday instead of the usual 80,645.
Freiburg Seeks Consistency For Trip To Dortmund BERLIN (Reuters) - Freiburg's joyous celebrations for clinching a first European spot in 12 years with a fifth place finish last season have turned into a hangover as the minnows brace for a showdown against Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Coach Christian Streich's team has struggled for both pace and imagination after five key players were snapped up by bigger clubs in the summer transfer window and find themselves mired in the relegation zone, still winless after six matches. Two of the biggest losses were striker Max Kruse, who scored 11 goals and set up another eight last season before joining Borussia Moenchengladbach, and Congolese midfielder Cedric Makiadi, who moved north to Werder Bremen. Also hampering the club's progress is an injury picked up earlier this month while on international duty with the Czech Republic to record signing Vladimir Darida, who joined from Viktoria Plzen but has yet to feature for Freiburg. This lack of consistency has led to three draws and three defeats in the league, and the squandering of a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw against Slovan Liberec in their opening Europa League Group H fixture. "At the moment, we are not capable of lighting any fireworks," Streich said of his club's recent form. "It is important not to have any fear. If you fail to win for some time in the Bundesliga, you develop this fear. It is about making the game fun for our players. This season we will need to fight enormous battles to survive." Click here for the full article at Yahoo Sports UK.
Considering their form I would expect us a win, but I wouldn't be too surprised if it plays out for a draw.
SCF's form has been better recently. So many point at the fact they held Bayern to a 1-1 draw, but those same people fail to point out that was a Tuesday night match moved from the following weekend so Bayern could concentrate on the European Super Cup match they won that Friday. SCF has had three consecutive draws including their Europa League match they probably should have won. I expect us to win by a couple of goals. But I don't expect it to be easy.
Reus phenomenal this season. 6 goals. 6 assists, involved directly in 51 shots this season. My player of the early Bundesliga season right now (conveniently)
Another strong game by Reus, continues to be an instrumental part of the team's offence. Hopefully Bender's alright. We can't afford another injury right now and take a hit to our team's depth.
Another decent performance from Eric Durm today. He wasn't really tested much, but he tracked more distance than any other player & pushed forward capably enough. Clearly though, most of Dortmund's attacks this season have come from the right. And it looks like he'll get more chances to get match experience as it looks like Schmelzer will be out three weeks with a thigh muscle tear. Overall, not impressed with this performance as a team, though. Dortmund took forever to gel & link up well up front with one after another misplaced pass. First two goals were gifts (one offside & one bullshit penalty-I thought the referee as marching toward Lewandowski to hand out a yellow for diving), but with Freiburg reduced to ten-men, there was no way BVB were not going to get their goals. Dortmund improved in second half, but still too much casual defending & profligacy in passing & goal scoring. Hope it doesn't come back to haunt us in Champions League.
Kicker Match Ratings: Borussia Dortmund v SC Freiburg Borussia Dortmund Starting Lineup: Weidenfeller (3) - Grosskreutz (2), Subotic (3), Hummels (2), Durm (3) - S. Bender (3), Sahin (2) - Reus (1,5), H. Mkhitaryan (3.5), Aubameyang (3) - Lewandowski (1.5) Borussia Dortmund Substitutes: 46th min: Kirch (3) for S. Bender 61st min: Blaszczykowski for Reus 62nd min: Hofmann for H. Mkhitaryan Borussia Dortmund Unused Roster Players: Langerak (GK), Sokratis, Ducksch, Schieber SC Freiburg Starting Lineup: Baumann (4) - Sorg (5), Ginter (5), Diagne (5), C. Günter (5,5) -Fernandes (4), Schuster (5) - Schmid (5), Mehmedi (5), Coquelin (5) - Freis (5) SC Freiburg Substitutes: 46th min: Höhn (3) for Coquelin 66th min: Höfler for Schuster 74th min: Guedé für Freis SC Freiburg Unused Roster Players: Batz (GK), Schraml, Kerk, Hanke Goals: 1:0 - Reus (35th min, Assist: Lewandowski) 2:0 - Reus (45. + 2, Penalty conversion) 3:0 - Lewandowski (58th min, Assist: Reus) 4:0 - Lewandowski (70th min, Assist: Hofmann) 5:0 - Blaszczykowski (79th min) Man of the Match: Marco Reus