Bundesliga: Jude Bellingham and Ansgar Knauff rescue Borussia Dortmund | Sports| German football and major international sports news | DW
Stuttgart 2-3 Borussia Dortmund, Mercedes-Benz Enviornment
(Kalajdzic 17 ‘, Didavi 78’ – Bellingham 47 ‘, Reus 52’, Knauff 80 ‘)
Two weeks in the past Ansgar Knauff was enjoying for Borussia Dortmund’s reserves in opposition to Fortuna Düsseldorf’s reserves in Regionalliga West – the fourth division of German soccer.
On Tuesday, the 19-year-old winger was surprisingly represented within the first workforce’s beginning line-up within the quarter-finals of the Champions League at Manchester Metropolis and labored laborious to supply his workforce a market.
And on Saturday he got here from the bench to attain a late profitable aim within the Bundesliga away from Stuttgart.
After a cross from Erling Haaland on the sting of the penalty space in Stuttgart, Knauff initially appeared to stumble over the ball, however solely dribbled right into a place from which he may shoot together with his proper foot.
And he shot, clawed firmly into the decrease nook and secured Borussia Dortmund the hard-won three factors, which for a very long time appeared something however assured in Swabia.
After a header from Sasa Kalajdzic (which was usually effectively executed and badly defended) Dortmund was a shadow of the well-rehearsed workforce that impressed in Manchester through the week. Erling Haaland was calm, however Dortmund had one other teenager that they might depend on.
Bellingham units the tempo – once more
Hey Jude: Bellingham set the tempo for BVB
Jude Bellingham was arguably the one yellow participant to repeat his efficiency in opposition to Metropolis. As normal, the 17-year-old Englishman was hard-working, down-to-earth, sensible and aggressive in midfield as greatest he may.
It was no shock that it was Bellingham who hit Gio Reyna’s knock-down proper after the restart to fireplace Dortmund’s stage. It was his second Dortmund aim, his first in Germany’s prime division.
However Bellingham’s affect on the sport and his presence in midfield was felt most when he was absent for only a minute. After holding his thigh, the previous Birmingham Metropolis man left the sector for therapy.
There was a thumbs up for the financial institution to proceed, however earlier than he may return, Mateu Morey’s unhealthy cross made Stuttgart equalize.
This created the circumstances for Knauff to attain his first Bundesliga aim together with his first Bundesliga shot and to change into Dortmund’s fifth youth goalscorer of the season.
“Edin provides me good directions and he makes me really feel comfy,” Knauff instructed Sky after the sport after receiving a bear hug and a slap on the chest from a beaming head coach Edin Terzic. “He encourages me to play to my strengths, to attempt for one-on-one.”
Whether or not within the regional league, the Champions League or the Bundesliga, that is precisely what Ansgar Knauff does.
