Led by the strong teenager Jude Bellingham, BVB has made a successful start to the Champions League season.
In the 2: 1 (2: 0) on Wednesday against the Turkish champions Besiktas Istanbul, the long defensive team of coach Marco Rose was not without conceding a goal this time.
After the goals of Bellingham (20th minute) and Torgarant Erling Haaland (45th + 3), the group favorite conceded another goal through Francisco Montero (90th + 4) in the closing stages, as in every other competitive game this season.
“We want to get as far as possible.
We have to start with that today, that's what it's all about, ”sporting director Michael Zorc swore the Westphalians before the opening match at the DAZN streaming service.
What followed was an impressively confident and stable appearance by Dortmund after all too often shown Wild West football without any defensive balance.
Defense boss Hummels actively helped in his starting line-up comeback after overcoming patellar tendon problems to remain unbeaten in Dortmund's fifth European Cup game in Turkey, even if the first goal was conceded.
After conceding nine goals from the first four Bundesliga games, Rose was last upset about the defensive structure of his team.
"We have to improve on the rest of the defense when we play offensively," said Zorc.
In Istanbul, veteran Hummels was in the BVB's starting eleven for the first time in four months.
“Mats missed a large part of the preparation and is still a very, very important factor for this team.
But we still have to gradually bring him to his best form, ”said Rose.
The 2014 world champion lasted 70 minutes and helped tame the passionate audience.
Even when they were warming up, the Dortmunders were greeted with deafening whistles in Vodafone Park, which is notorious as the loudest stadium in Europe.
“It's not sold out, but it feels like it.
That's right football, the way we love it, but haven't gotten to know it in a long time, ”said Zorc.
In the game, too, the BVB pros were whistled every time they hit the ball. Only at the beginning seemed the Dortmunders impressed, started a bit bumpy and initially granted way too many spaces on the defensive. In the sixth minute, keeper Gregor Kobel had to save his team from 1-0 with a brilliant act against former BVB attacker Michy Batshuayi.
Ice cold, effective and in the style of a top team, BVB then pulled the game on its side through a strong action by the only 18-year-old Bellingham. The Englishman completed a hit ball from Thomas Meunier for a somewhat surprising lead. This silenced the Turkish fans for the first time. No wonder: For Besiktas it was the first goal they conceded this season. From then on, Dortmund became safer and again silenced the audience with the half-time whistle.
Again Bellingham put a thoughtful throw-in on last season's premier class top scorer, and Haaland pushed in for the preliminary decision. At the break Rose secured the lead without conceding a goal and brought more defensive stability to Axel Witsel for the inconspicuous Julian Brandt. After the change, Dortmund brought the well-deserved victory, which could have been even higher, safely home despite the connection goal.