Strong Second Half Leads Dortmund to 2-0 Win Over Mainz

Borussia Dortmund win 2-0 over FSV Mainz. I repeat: Borussia Dortmund have won a league game against a top-flight opponent! This is not a drill people! Is this what winning feels like? I’ve forgotten this feeling for so long.

Thanks to a rebound goal by world-class striker Sokratis and a solid finish from Kagawa after Aubamayeng beat the while damn Mainz backline and goalkeeper, Dortmund sees their run of abysmal form (zero wins, three points in eight matches) finally come to an end at the Opel Arena. They didn’t look fantastic doing it (there were a lot of bad passes and players running right into Mainz defenders), but a win is a win.

The first goal came after Pulisic was fouled in the 55^th minute. Kagawa sent in a free kick that found the head of Omer Töprak, but it was blasted off the crossbar. Sokratis got the rebound and blasted the ball off the turf and in for a well-earned goal by the Greek international.

With the match nearing its end and Mainz sending everything forward, BVB found the net for the second time off a beautiful counter opportunity. Kagawa received the ball and hit Aubamayeng with a nice pass beyond the Mainz back four, then Auba did the rest. He beat the Mainz keeper, avoided the defenders tracking back, and found his good buddy Shinji making a nice run from the midfield. All Kagawa had to do was finish it off to guarantee the team’s first win Bundesliga win in three months.

It wasn’t always pretty tonight – lots of bad turnovers and the play from the wings left a lot to be desired – while Mainz could’ve gone up early with two shots that came dangerously close to going in the back of the net, but let’s take tonight’s win as a step in the right direction. Especially considering the win moves BVB from eighth to fourth in the Bundesliga table with a tough match against Hoffenheim on the horizon before the winter break.