Nmecha brace inspires Dortmund to victory in Copenhagen

Here’s how BVB’s UEFA Champions League matchday 3 clash with FC Copenhagen played out, with Bulinews reporting live from Parken.

Borussia Dortmund made the relatively short trip north to take on FC Copenhagen on a blustery night in the Danish capital. Met with a fearsome home support, BVB entered an intimidating atmosphere with the intentions of bouncing back from last weekend’s defeat in Munich. They managed to do just that with three second-half goals sealing a 4-2 win.

In the absence of their ultras boycotting the game in the Danish capital, Dortmund made a lively start as Julian Brandt and Yan Couto almost linked up inside the opening minute. Copenhagen hit back as ex-Schalke winger Jordan Larsson fed Claesson who stung the palms of Kobel. 

After a brief lull in the action, Felix Nmecha injected a thunderbolt into the atmosphere when he made it 1-0 in the 20th-minute. Some neat play from Serhou Guirassy and Jobe Bellingham on the edge of the box created space for Nmecha. The 25-year-old skipped past Achouri and rifled it to the roof of the net. 

Not long  half-hour mark, Copenhagen restored parity in unusual fashion. Ex-BVB talent Youssoufa Moukoko’s strike was steered into his own net by a luckless Waldemar Anton as Bensebaini attempted to clear his lines. The hosts piled on the pressure thereafter with full-back fizzing a shot past the left post from a tight angle. 

No changes were made to either team at the interval. Bensebaini was forced to make a last-gasp challenge to force Moukoko’s shot out for a corner. The Westphalians regained the lead on the hour when Lerager pulled Guirassy’s shirt in the box. Dutch arbiter Danny Makkeile pointed to the spot. No debate this time as Bensebaini brushed home the penalty. 

Niko Kovač instantly called upon the cavalry with triple alteration as Julian Ryerson, Carney Chukwuemeka and Fábio Silva entered. Home fans felt they were denied a spot-kick of their own on 68 minutes when Bensebaini and Moukoko clashed in a tackle. However, appeals were promptly waved away.

Kovač’s tactical tweaks paid off handsomely when Chukwuemeka pinched a misplaced pass from William Clem and fed Nmecha. The midfield, enjoying one of his finest displays, benefitted from an acute deflection off Garananga to wrongfoot Kotarski.

Further gloss was added to the scoreboard as Silva bagged his first goal in BVB colours from a challenging angle that crept through Kotarski’s legs. Copenhagen, amid a plague of injuries, grabbed a late consolation goal through Viktor Dadason. No repeats of Turin ensured however, as BVB held on for a 4-2 triumph.