Anthony Modeste up and running for Borussia Dortmund against Hertha Berlin
Anthony Modeste's first Borussia Dortmund goal was enough to give Edin Terzic's side all three points away to winless Hertha Berlin.
Hertha Berlin 0-1 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Modeste 32' (assist: Özcan)
Hertha started brightly, perhaps hoping for a Dortmund hangover after BVB conceded three times in the final six minutes in defeat to Werder Bremen last time out. Jonjoe Kenny was first to try his luck with a deflected strike that had Gregor Kobel diving full stretch to push the ball wide, but the Black-Yellows heeded the warning. Shifting through the gears, the visitors hit the woodwork through Marco Reus before Julian Brandt forced a strong save from Oliver Christensen and a deflection took a Raphael Guerreiro strike wide. Salih Özcan struck a post from a corner, ahead of two presentable chances not taken by Modeste, though it was the ex-Cologne duo who combined to break the deadlock. Marius Wolf did really well to squeeze a pass to Özcan, whose right-wing cross was met by a towering Modeste header.
Dortmund were straight back on the front-foot after the restart as Christensen thwarted Reus following a brilliant Jude Bellingham through-ball. The Hertha No.1 was at it again in the 58th minute, diving to his right to keep out a fierce drive from Karim Adeyemi, who sent the rebound over. Hertha threatened only sporadically, but were deperately unlucky not to level on one such occassion. Substitute Stevan Jovetic took Chidera Ejuke's pass in his stride and fired towards the top corner, only for Kobel to beat it clear. Marc-Oliver Kempf made a goal-line clearance from Bellingham, who dragged wide moments later. Marco Richter, making his first appearance after surgery to remove a malignant testicular tumour, then fired against the crossbar, via the finger-tips of Kobel. Christensen thwarted Bellingham and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, while Thomas Meunier miscued in the closing stages as Dortmund picked up their third win of the season.
Match stats
- Dortmund kept their second clean sheet of the season.
- Modeste has produced eight goals and one assist in 11 Bundesliga games against Hertha.
- The Frenchman scored 20 Bundesliga goals for Cologne last season, including a league-high 10 headers.
- Bellingham made his 95th competitive appearance for BVB.
- Hertha have lost six of their 11 most recent Bundesliga matches at home against Dortmund.
- The Old Lady are one of six teams still waiting for a first league victory of the season.
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Watch: Bellingham: "We weren't at our best again"
Teams
Hertha: Christensen - Kenny, Dardai, Kempf (Selke 80'), Plattenhardt (c) - Boetius (Jovetic 55'), Tousart, Serdar (Boateng 75') - Lukebakio (Richter 75'), Kanga, Ejuke
Unused subs: Ernst, Pekarik, Darida, Mittelstädt, Sunjic
Out: Dong-jun Lee (knee), Gechter (flu), Jarstein (not considered), Maolida (muscular), Ngankam (knee), Nsona (cruciate ligament), Scherhant (muscular), Uremovic (suspended)
Coach: Sandro Schwarz
Dortmund: Kobel - Wolf (Meunier 67'), Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Guerreiro (Hazard 86') - Bellingham, Özcan, Brandt - Adeyemi (Bynoe-Gittens 61'), Modeste (Süle 86'), Reus (c)
Unused subs: Meyer, Moukoko, Can, Passlack, Rothe
Out: Dahoud (shoulder), Haller (testicular cancer), Malen (muscular), Morey (match fitness), Reyna (match fitness)
Coach: Edin Terzic
Watch: Kenny: "I see a lot of positives"
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