bundesliga

Karim Adeyemi stunner maintains Borussia Dortmund’s top-four push

04.03.2024

Karim Adeyemi scored a superb individual goal to bolster Borussia Dortmund’s top-four ambitions in a 2-0 win at Union Berlin.

Union Berlin 0-2 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Adeyemi 41' (assist: Füllkrug), 0-2 Maatsen (90')

The match was a slow burner at the Alte Försterei, with plenty of midfield tackles but little by way of goalmouth action in the early stages. Union had the first four shots of the game, none of which troubled stand-in goalkeeper Alexander Meyer, and it wasn’t until the 35th minute that Dortmund had their first effort on goal when Nico Schlotterbeck popped up unmarked at the back post, only for Frederik Rønnow to produce a brilliant point-blank save. Niclas Füllkrug then headed over as BVB began to move through the gears, before Adeyemi opened up the game with a moment of magic, jinking inside from the right wing onto his left foot and crashing a shot in off the crossbar to give Dortmund a narrow half-time lead.

Union very nearly pulled level early in the second half when Benedict Hollerbach made a nuisance of himself inside the Dortmund box, creating a shooting opportunity for Kevin Volland from 10 yards out, but Meyer produced a fine save to keep Dortmund in front. Head coach Nenad Bjelica brought on Brenden Aaronson and Yorbe Vertessen in a bid to force an equaliser against a BVB side that conceded three against Hoffenheim last week, but it was Dortmund who came closer to adding to the scoreline, with Marcel Sabitzer twice testing Rønnow from distance. Union increased the intensity as the final whistle approached, with Aaronson’s powerful drive blocked by a team-mate before Vertessen was muscled off the ball by Julian Ryerson when well placed to shoot. Ian Maatsen sealed the win for Dortmund in the last minute after robbing Josip Juranović off the ball and running half the length of the pitch to score his first Bundesliga goal.

Match stats

Julian Brandt made his 200th competitive appearance for Dortmund in this game, having joined the club in summer 2019 from Bayer Leverkusen.
It was a milestone occasion for Union defender Diogo Leite too: he made his 50th Bundesliga appearance for the club.
Adeyemi's goal was his first of the season and seventh in the Bundesliga overall. He has hit three with his left foot, three with his right, and one header.
Union have now conceded 38 goals in 2023/24, exactly as many as they let in during the entire 2022/23 season.
Füllkrug provided his eighth assist of the campaign. Only Leroy Sané (11), Florian Wirtz (10) and Álex Grimaldo (nine) have more.
Dortmund are unbeaten in seven away games in the Bundesliga, stretching back to November's 2-1 loss to VfB Stuttgart. This is the joint-best run under Edin Terzić (seven, in October 2023).

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Line-ups

Union: Rønnow - Leite (Bedia 81'), Vogt, Doekhi - Khedira (c) (Aaronson 69') - Juranović, Tousart (Haberer 61'), Schäfer, Roussillon (Trimmel 69') - Volland, Hollerbach (Vertessen 61')
Unused subs: Schwolow, Knoche, Laidouni, Král
Out: Gosens (suspended)
Coach: Nenad Bjelica

Dortmund: Meyer - Ryerson, Süle, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen - Sabitzer, Can (c) - Sancho (Bensebaini 88'), Brandt (Özcan 66'), Adeyemi (Bynoe-Gittens 78') - Füllkrug
Unused subs: Lotka, Hummels, Reus, Wolf, Duranville, Moukoko
Out: Haller (ankle), Kobel (muscular), Malen (suspended), Nmecha (hip)
Coach: Edin Terzić