Julian Brandt fires Borussia Dortmund to runners-up finish in Fürth
Julian Brandt scored twice as Borussia Dortmund were confirmed 2021/22 Bundesliga runners-up with a 3-1 win away to relegated Greuther Fürth.
Greuther Fürth 1-3 Borussia Dortmund
Goals: 0-1 Brandt (26'), 1-1 Ngankam 70' (assist: Hrgota), 1-2 Brandt 72' (assist: Schulz), 1-3 Passlack 77' (assist: Reus)
Dortmund lost 4-3 to promoted Bochum last weekend, and weren't without the odd scare in Fürth. Timothy Tillman sent an ambitious volley wide, while Branimir Hrgota had a goal ruled out for an offside in the build-up against Simon Asta, confirmed following a VAR review. Brandt settled the nerves when he slotted in from close range after Andreas Linde could only parry Raphael Guerreiro's low shot. Greuther returned fire through former BVB midfielder Tobias Raschl, but Marwin Hitz was able to punch clear.
Dortmund went up a gear after the restart, but profligacy in the final third thereatened to be their downfall. After missed opportunities for Erling Haaland and Marco Reus, Hrgota slipped in Jessic Ngankam for a fabulous dinked equaliser over Hitz. BVB restored order moments later, though, as Brandt collected a Nico Schulz cross and fired home with aplomb. Substitute Felix Passlack turned in from Reus, via a deflection, before the VAR denied Jude Bellingham a piece of the goal-scoring pie.
Match stats
- Dortmund are Bundesliga runners-up for the eighth time.
- Brandt has a career best-equalling nine Bundesliga goals for the season, including a team-leading seven on the road.
- Dortmund have only ever scored more goals at this stage of a season once. They currently have 83 goals from 33 matches, one shy of the tally they had in 2019/20 when they set a club record of 84 goals for a single campaign.
- Passlack marked his 50th competitive appearance for BVB with his third goal for the club.
- Dortmund's Immanuel Pherai, 21, made his Bundesliga debut.
- Fürth lost for the 21st time this season.
Watch: Rose pays tribute to departing Axel Witsel
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Teams
Fürth: Linde - Griesbeck, Viergever, Itter - Tillman (Seguin 78'), Raschl (Green 71'), Christiansen (Dudziak 87'), Asta (Bauer 71') - Leweling - Ngankam (Abiama 87'), Hrgota (c)
Unused subs: Funk, Burchert, Fobassam
Out: Kehr (knee), Meyerhöfer (ankle), Nielsen (thigh), Willems (suspended)
Coach: Stefan Leitl
Dortmund: Hitz - Can, Akanji, Zagadou, Guerreiro (Schulz 68') - Witsel, Bellingham - Wolf (Passlack 68'), Reus (c) (Pherai 90'+2), Brandt - Haaland (Moukoko 87')
Unused subs: Unbehaun, Reinier, Pongracic, Papadopoulos, Njinmah
Out: Bynoe-Gittens (U19s), Dahoud (shoulder), Hazard (back), Hummels (thigh), Kobel (ankle), Malen (muscular), Meunier (hamstring), Morey (knee), Reyna (hamstring), Schmelzer (knee), Tigges (ankle)
Coach: Marco Rose
Watch: Leitl: "It's the right time to step aside"
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