Match Ratings: Chukwuemeka Spearheads BVB Comeback to Keep Champions League Hopes Alive

22/04/2025 08:00

Borussia Dortmund claimed a hard-fought win against Borussia Mönchengladbach, moving to within four points of the top four.

The remaining games of Borussia Dortmund's season represent five cup finals. Each game can make or break their season as they attempt to chase down the top four and qualify for next season's Champions League. BVB got off to a good start in the first of those finals against Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning 3-2 in a heated affair on Sunday evening.

As is so often the case with this team, it was a game with plenty of twists and turns. BVB struggled to get the ball under control early in the game and quickly found themselves on the backfoot with Die Fohlen taking the lead through Ko Itakura 24 minutes into the game. Things appeared to go from bad to worse for Dortmund when Maximilian Beier left the field with an ankle injury then minutes later, but Beier's replacement, Carney Chukwuemeka, had other ideas. Carney orchestrated a twenty-minute comeback that saw Dortmund turn the game around, heading in at the break with a 3-1 lead. BVB started to tire as the game wore on, leading to Gladbach pulling one back through a Kevin Stoger penalty ten minutes into the second half. BVB's defense held strong, though. BVB live to fight another final.

Here are our ratings from Borussia Dortmund's 3-2 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach:

Starting XI

Gregor Kobel

Paul: 6

Zac: 7

Kobel was sharp as ever today. He commanded the box, snuffing out some key chances from Tim Kleindeist. The penalty was unfortunate.

Waldemar Anton

Paul: 8

Zac: 8

In the absence of Nico Schlotterbeck, Anton has been as resolute as you could ask for, showing extreme composure and determination. A small absence from Emre Can meant more responsibility for Anton, and he has shouldered it well.

Ramy Bensebaini

Paul: 6

Perhaps a little unlucky that his attempted interception fell right back to Ko Itakura's feet, but he did provide a tidy assist for Borussia Mönchengladbach's opening goal. Otherwise, I thought he had a solid game.

Zac: 6

Every time Bensebaini makes that same slide tackle (you know the one), I want to give him a 10.

Niklas Süle

Paul: 6

Süle's performance didn't stand out quite as much as against Bayern Munich and Barcelona, but he was still reliable at the back. His rejuvenation becomes more and more believable with each match.

Zac: 7

How many times will this man break my heart? I have so much faith in him.

Daniel Svensson

Paul: 8

Svensson was everywhere, more than earning his first goal for BVB.

Zac: 8

This kid could prove to be a masterful signing.

Yan Couto

Paul: 6

Zac: 6

Definitely growing in confidence. I like the impact Couto has on ball progression.

Pascal Groß

Paul: 7

Zac: 8

Felix Nmecha

Paul: 6

I thought Nmecha had a pretty good game, and did well with his goal. However, he also gave away the penalty. He was unlucky on the penalty (he had to go for it and just came off second-best), but it tempers the rating a little.

Zac: 6

Karim Adeyemi

Paul: 5

Adeyemi struggled to impact the game and was sometimes a little wasteful in possession. He did pick up an assist, but I think that was more luck than judgment.

Zac: 4

I thought Adeyemi's performance was extremely frustrating. His decision-making was poor and rushed, and he did not act as a good outlet for pressure. Given how many minutes he is receiving, I expect more.

Maximilian Beier

N/A

Serhou Guirassy

Paul: 7

He took his goal nicely, but I thought he played well besides the goal.

Zac: 6

I'm docking Guirassy a point for his antics before the penalty. I don't know what he was doing, but that was a wasteful yellow, and I think he threw Kobel off.

Substitutes

Carney Chukwuemeka

Paul: 9

Carney was far and away the best player on the pitch. BVB looked lacklustre early in the game, and that all changed when Chukwuemeka replaced the injured Maximilian Beier. He didn't claim an assist on any of Dortmund's goals, but he was the orchestrator for all three.

Zac: 8

Julian Ryerson

Paul: 7

Zac: 5

Unusually erratic.

Emre Can

N/A

Julian Brandt

N/A

Salih Özcan

N/A

Overall

Paul: 7

It wasn't a perfect performance, but BVB got the job done against a tough Gladbach side and in a week that has seen several of these players work their asses off against Bayern Munich and Barcelona. The scoreline (and the xG) flatter Die Fohlen a little, but there were periods where BVB had to hold on. The fact the backline can now be relied on to soak up pressure and not crack is huge, but I also think those moments were caused by fatigue. This squad has been made to work hard recently, against Barcelona (twice) and Bayern, and I think it showed in the simple mistakes and at times sloppy execution. The fact they were still the better team and came away with all three points deserves a ton of credit.

I don't know if BVB will qualify for the Champions League. They are probably going to have to win all of their remaining fixtures to stand a chance. But the fact they are even in with a shot is impressive. It's a testament to the turnaround Niko Kovač has overseen since coming in.

Zac: 6

I know it was a win, and we should be grateful, but the way Dortmund performed to defend their lead over the second 45 minutes was so unconvincing that I can't be satisfied with the game. After such a convincing performance against Barcelona, it was disappointing to see BVB unable to find a cohesive attacking play for the entire second half. We most certainly are not at the point yet where we can criticize Dortmund for failing to dominate a game in a win; wins are a cause for celebration. I just found myself so frustrated that BVB we're not able to reinforce this win, despite a myriad of opportunities.

Paul makes a good point, it was a hell of a two weeks for these guys. Maybe I should lay off.